SIT Study Abroad: Ecuador: Comparative Ecology and Conservation

SIT Ecuador was an incredibly challenging, but incredibly rewarding semester. I am an ecological and evolutionary biology major in New York City, so I had not had many field experiences before this program. I have now stayed on an island in the Amazon River Basin for 3 weeks by myself researching monkey behavior. Throughout the program I learned how to conduct my own research, write papers, and analyze data. I had a heavier work load than typical semesters, but the field excursions that caused them were well worth the late nights. The professors are incredibly knowledgeable and genuinely care about the students. I could not have asked for a better program.

Prior to the program, I realized I didn't love learning as much as I used to. I hoped this program would remedy that...and boy did it deliver! Our classes were purposeful, but engaging. Excursions were the highlight, and classes during these portions consisted of long, leisurely hikes or snorkeling multiple times a day. Learning was fun. Our more traditional classes in the city were also engaging, with many breakouts into small-groups or with guest lecturers from a variety of fields.

This program gave me so much I would not have had at my university. It was extremely hands-on (think getting up at 6 to go on a 2-hr birding expedition before breakfast, then going to a river after breakfast to collect water samples and analyze them yourself), comprehensive (we visited so many places in the country), taught me how to do independent research (the program culminates for a month-long research project you do yourself), and provided me connections I still maintain. On top of this, it was extremely supportive (the professors were always available and approachable). Though it was a tough decision to leave my university for the semester, I am glad I did.

Additionally, I study environmental engineering; as such, I am used to examining similar issues we learned about but from a completely different angle. I was glad to gain an understanding of the biological/conservation side of environmental issues. I was able to learn what other considerations should go into decisions of engineering rather than just efficiency.

I loved the experiential learning that this program offered. With a greater independence in our projects, I became a lot more confident as a student and a scientist. The academic rigor of this program made it all the more rewarding. The leaders of our program, Xavier, Ana María, and Diana, were all very knowledgeable and available whenever assistance was needed. As a part of our courses, we had the opportunity to travel all throughout Ecuador - the Andes Mountains, the Cloud Forest, the Amazon, and the Galapagos. Another irreplaceable outcome from this program was the friends for life that I made.

This program was an amazing experience! We travelled to beautiful sites and learned about so many amazing plants and animals in situ. I was challenged academically and I gained a lot confidence in myself. The academic directors were very knowledgeable and experienced, and I was encouraged to ask questions about anything I was interested in. The program is divided between excursions to field sites, where most of the ecology teaching/learning takes place, and time in the city, where we took Spanish classes and had various other lectures. We were given many opportunities to practice field techniques, and the various assignments throughout the semester helped prepare me for the Independent Study Project, which was the most challenging and rewarding academic experience I've ever had.

Most of my criticisms have to due with changes that were made to the program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This included cancelling the homestay element and housing the entire group of students in a hostel in a small town that was very far from Quito. We were able to make our own fun, but there was no social scene near where we were housed. Additionally, there were very few programmed activities aside from the field excursions.

Overall, I would recommend this program to anyone who is interested in studying ecology in the field and improving their Spanish - there were ample opportunities to do both!

This program is very different from a lot of study abroad experiences. For one, you get to explore every ecosystem of Ecuador: from the dry forest to the cloud forest to the Amazon to the Galapagos. You get to see first hands the characteristics of these different natural places, along with the history and culture of the people that live within them. During this program, I also gained a large sense of self respect and self sufficiency. I learned to be level-headed and make solid decisions quickly and effectively. There were so many opportunities to work my peers and improve my ability to write scientific reports and communicate with those around me. I also met so many incredible people and had the opportunity to practice my Spanish speaking and comprehension.

This was an incredible semester experience that allowed me to pursue my academic interests (biology/environmental science/animal behavior), improve my Spanish skills, learn a lot about a new culture, experience places and things I would never have been able to as a tourist, and make some life-long friends. The excursions included so much more than I imagined and I really enjoyed the hands-on learning approach. The program staff was fantastic and really prioritized our understanding. All of the students in the program were extremely passionate people who took the experience seriously and worked hard.

This study abroad provided valuable learning in the field, as well as experience in research and academic writing. The adventurous excursions to observe plants, animals, adaptations and symbiotic relationships, environmental impact and conservation efforts, field research methods, and much much more resulted in a rewarding and "once in a lifetime" experience, while being interspersed with regular class time and assignments to improve scientific writing, spanish language skills, and general ecological knowledge. This mix made for a semester full of flexibility, rigor, fun, and lots of new things. The homestay provided additional experience with the culture and the language. All together, this program created a study abroad that will benefit students well beyond the end of the semester. I thoroughly enjoyed my SIT Ecuador: comparative ecology and conservation semester and will never forget the lasting friendships and connections that were formed during the semester.

Doing this program was one of the best decisions I ever made! It was academically challenging, and each part of the program was engineered to push students to their highest potential. I walked away with confidence in the language, research development, and new interests. The professors and fellow students were incredibly inspiring, and it was hard to leave when the program ended. I will continue to search for academic environments like what I found in this program, and will remember my time on this program for the rest of my life! I would highly suggest this program go any hard worker environmental student searching for the tools needed to make positive change in the world.