Program Overview
The Ecuador program is based in historic Quito, with a ten-day stay in the Galápagos Islands. In Quito, the students live with host families and study at the Universidad Católica; classes offered are Oral Communication in Spanish, Contemporary Latin America, Spanish Grammar and Composition. There will be a Scuba Diving class in which students will can earn their certification with PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, a recognized leader in diving education.
Ecuador is one of the most ecologically diverse countries in South America; students participate in ecotourism while improving their Spanish. Participants hike through the Amazon jungle and build balsa rafts to sail on the Río Napo, a tributary of the Amazon River. We hike the Ecuadorian highlands at Papallacta, and then relax in the hot springs. We visit the historic center of Quito and straddle the “equatorial line” at the Monument to the Center of the World. The beautiful village of Santo Domingo de los Colorados provides the ideal setting for an exciting white-water rafting trip down the Río Toachi and Río Blanco, which are class IV rivers. We also visit the indigenous markets at Otavalo, famous world-wide for their weavings and jewelry.
A highlight of the program is the 10-day stay in the Galápagos Islands, beginning in Puerto Ayora. Students complete the confined water training for the Scuba classes at the Finch Bay Hotel. The cruise begins in Isla Floreana, with Scuba diving in the morning, followed by land hikes, snorkeling, and ecology lessons. Each day we sail to a new island to experience the diversity of the region; Isla Española, Santa Fe, North Seymour, and Rabida. We also have the chance to do an exhilarating night dive.
Be sure to check-out this brief video from the 2004 Winter program.
UD students pay all program fee deposits by direct bank transfer via this website: http://www.udel.edu/studyabroadpayments. Non-UD students should send a check, payable to the University of Delaware, to CFIS, Elliott Hall, 26 East Main Street, Newark, DE 19716. Credit card payments are not accepted.
