About this trip
A 9-day Experiential Learning Seminar in the Ecuadorian Andes
The Research and Learning Initiative Ecuador invites university professors and their students to put classroom learning into practice while visiting communities in the Choco-Andino Biosphere, a UNESCO designation granted in 2018 to protect a vital corridor linking the humid forest lowlands of the Choco-Darien with the cloud forests of the Northern Ecuadorian Andes.
The Choco-Andino, a biodiversity hotspot and home to almost 100 species of mammals, is under increasing threat from mineral extraction, agricultural development, and population growth. Local business owners are actively searching for sustainable solutions to these and other problems.
Students will visit several projects to include working farms, wildlife reserves, and archeology sites only a couple of hours outside of Ecuador’s capital city, Quito. Their goal will be to work with small business owners to complete a project related to their course of study.
This seminar is ideal for students studying business, sustainable development, tourism, or related subjects. However, students from other disciplines may bring unique insights and are also encouraged to apply.
This itinerary can be personalized to focus on learning outcomes particular to the field of study of the professor booking the trip.
Available Packages
Itinerary
Pre-Trip
A successful trip begins before the journey starts. Students will receive handbooks with information to help them plan for their experience. It will include basics like a suggested pack list, tips for polite behavior in both rural and urban Ecuador, suggestions for traveling safely and securely, and an explanation of the geography, climate, and regions of this smallest of Andean nations.
As part of the pre-trip process, we will also send out a pre-trip questionnaire. Some questions will be expected, like “Do you have any food allergies?” However, we are also attempting to measure the success of the RLI experiential learning seminars. Therefore, we will ask some questions aimed to better understand desired outcomes for students and professors.
Day 0 - Arrive in Quito
Most flights from the United States to Quito arrive in the wee hours of the morning. Therefore, the day you board the plane is not counted towards the 9 days of the trip.
Day 1 - Quito
The seminar begins in Quito, Ecuador, laying the groundwork for understanding the historical relationship between the capital city and its rural communities.
We will tour the UNESCO-recognized Historic Center to experience the most emblematic places where Quito's history was born, such as its colorful neighborhoods and colonial churches.
Day 2 - Quito
We will begin our morning with a visit to Casa Agave, a local museum working to recover ancestral knowledge of the Agave Andino, a plant from the cactus family that has been used since ancient times.
Later that day, we will straddle the Equator with a foot in each hemisphere at the iconic "Mitad del Mundo", a striking monument marking the latitude 0°0’0″, the center of the world. From the top of the monument, visitors can enjoy 360-degree views of the surrounding San Antonio valley.
Day 3 – The Chocó-Andino
We will meet the families responsible for creating the Mashpi and Alambi Reserves, both located in the Equatorial Chocó-Andino Biosphere.
These families once practiced monoculture farming and harvested wood from the rain forests. Today, these thriving eco-tourism businesses make it possible to observe an incredible variety of birds and other endemic species of flora and fauna.
Day 4 – Pacto
We will learn about PACTO-MAGICO (ASEROACTOMAG), an ecotourism association that is made up of diverse micro-businesses, including restaurants, hotels, nature reserves, and farms. The association strives to make business improvements to better protect the environment while also providing a living wage for local residents.
Day 5 – Nanegalito
We will tour a coffee plantation where we will learn about the process of producing coffee including selection, flotation, sculpting, fermentation, drying, and packing.
Day 6 – Mindo
At the Mariposario in Mindo, we will learn about the metamorphosis of butterflies while also touring another successful ecotourism business. The Mindo Reserve is also a great place to hike or zipline in the primary cloud forest and tube on the Rio Nambillo.
Day 7 – Quito
At the US Embassy in Quito, we will meet with the director of the United States Department of Agriculture in Ecuador to better understand international development in Latin America and collaboration opportunities between Ecuador and the USA.
We will also meet the Director of the Peace Corps in Ecuador and select professors from the University of the Americas.
Day 8 – Otavalo
We will visit Taller Artisanal Peguche Wasi where indigenous artisans will demonstrate their craft using the Andean loom. A wide variety of handmade weavings and artisan products will be available for purchase. This visit supports an ancient cultural tradition that is in danger of being lost as younger generations look to other sources of income.
Day 9 – Zuleta
We will visit the rural community of Zuleta and learn about the tradition of Pachamanka, a delicious dish of Andean cuisine. Its name comes from two Quichua words: pacha (land) and manka (pot). The dish is prepared by digging a hole in the ground, placing the food inside the hold, and then surrounding the food with hot stones that help to cook the unique and tasty stew.
Post Trip
After returning to the United States, we would like to give students the opportunity to give feedback on their experience and will send them a post-trip survey. Both pre- and post-trip surveys will be made available to the professor.
One of the goals of RLI is to foster and maintain relationships built during these experiential learning seminars. Therefore, we will offer students the opportunity to receive continuing information about projects they may have helped develop while visiting Ecuador. We will not add them to any mailing lists without their explicit permission.
Program Description
Cultural and professional collaborative experience working with local small businesses and visiting cultural sights. A component of an existing course for academic credit that expands and elaborates course material and concepts through hands-on application.
Program Objectives
This program explores course topics and combines them with development applications. The program is designed to broaden students’ understanding of worldwide issues, including:
- Environmental concerns
- Small business development
- Cultural diversity
- Community engagement
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Learning objectives and outcomes are evaluated in accordance with existing course requirements and deliverables. At the end of the program, students will be able to:
- Apply course topics to situations outside the classroom setting
- Gain practical experience in classroom topics
- Experience working in the international development sector
- Understand the importance of and apply cross-cultural communication
- Gain appreciation for cultural diversity
- Recognize and value cultural customs and traditions
- Develop greater Spanish proficiency
- Develop collaborative, international relationships
- Identify ecologically-sustainable methods of conducting business in tourism and agriculture
- Identify ethical business practices for remote regions
- Demonstrate knowledge of environmentally conservative agriculture practices
- Collaborate with host country professionals and businesses
- Find creative and innovative solutions to community needs
- Critically evaluate local issues within a global context
- Demonstrate the ability to work in diverse teams
- Demonstrate curiosity while engaging with the local community
- Understand sustainability and how local and global actions and communities affect international environmental concerns
- Appreciate the biodiversity of Ecuador
To be the leading national travel agency in terms of destinations and services, ensuring our partners and clients experience tourism activities that are well-designed and sustainable, guaranteeing success for all involved.