Ecuador Study Abroad
Maymester 2011
Dr. Gene Luna
Course Description
• Enriching service learning opportunity
• Tutoring and mentoring of street
children in Quito, Ecuador
• Learn about indigenous cultures
• Explore socio-economic trends that
affect daily lives and access to care
• Ecuador
Ecuador Facts
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Population – 13,363,600
Capital City – Quito (1.4 million)
Currency – US Dollar
Time – Same as Columbia, SC
Language – Spanish
Religions – Catholic (95%)
About 3 times the size of SC
Electricity - Ecuador uses 120 volts AC (60 Hz)
Quito is described by many travelers as the most beautiful
city in South America. With its elevation and location near
the Equator, its climate is considered a "permanent spring."
Day to Day Itinerary
Friday, May 13th-May 27th, 2011
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Day 1 – Charlotte to Quito
Day 2 – Guided tour of Quito (old & new)
Days 3-9 – Service Project
Day 10 – Equatorial Monument Day Trip
Days 11-13 – Santa Cruz / Galapagos tour
Day 14 – Galapagos to Charlotte
– Other activities to be arranged
Ecuador
Quito Facts
• The city's elevation is, on average, 2,850 m (about 9,350
ft), making Quito the second highest capital city in the
world.
• Quito is located about 25 km (15 miles) south of the
equator. A monument and museum marking the general
location of the equator is known locally as la mitad del
mundo (the middle of the world).
Quito
Historical
Churches
Quito
Historical Churches
Quito Facts
• Due to its high altitude and position on the equator, Quito has a
constant, mild to cool climate.
• The typical temperature at noon is 25°C (77ºF) with a normal
night-time low of 6°C (43ºF). The average temperature is 15° C
(64ºF).
• Two seasons: dry and wet. The dry season, June through
September (4 months), is referred to as summer; the wet
season, October through May (8 months), is referred to as
winter.
• Ecuador doesn’t experience shifting of day and night time
because it sits at the equator
• Sunrise and sunset are always at 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.,
respectively.
Quito
Breathtaking
Sites
Quito
Colorful Night Lights
Quito
Colorful Night Lights
Quito
View of Quito
from El
Panecilloa hill
with an altitude
of about 9,895
feet above sea
level.
Quito Project
• Project: Centro Del Muchacho Trabajador
• Objective is to create, develop, and
strengthen moral values by changes in
attitude and behavior.
• Changes stressed are life, loyalty,
personal formation, family, religion,
education, economy, work, recreation,
health and housing.
Quito Project
Quito Project
The Centro was started over forty years ago. The
current Director, John Halligan, a Catholic priest,
has been involved from the beginning. The school
works exclusively with children who work in the
streets, but also with the parents in order to help
them understand that if you can receive an
education, you can change your life. Children
leave the school ready to work and live their lives
independently and successfully. The school helps
children and their parents become agents of their
own prosperity.
Quito Project
“To contribute to the prosperity of the
working boys and their families is to
contribute to the present and future
welfare of the
community.”
Quito Project
Equator
Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Archipelago
Straddling the
Equator,
1,000
Straddling
the km
(600
mi) west
Equator,
1,000ofkm
the
(600Ecuadorian
mi) west of
coastline
the Ecuadorian
coastline
Galápagos is not
as small as it looks
Galapagos Islands
Galapagos Islands
Galapagos Islands
Galapagos Islands
Deadlines
• November 15th – Passport Travel Grant
Due
• December 1st – Application due
• Gaby Peschiera-Carl from the Study
Abroad office will explain more