| Description | This engaging program will introduce students to a broad panorama of life in Ecuador through interdisciplinary study of Ecuadorian society and culture, Spanish language and a service-learning project. Participants will spend four weeks in Ecuador living with host families, studying at the Andean Studies Center, and engaging the culture first-hand through guided excursions and daily activities. Language study will focus on listening and speaking skill development within a cultural context and the immediate needs of the students. At least one year of college-level Spanish or equivalent is required for participation. |
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| Location | The program will mainly take place in Quito, Ecuador, with short excursions planned to the Amazon jungle, the cities of Otavalo, Baños, and Puerto López, and the Isla de la Plata. Ecuador is a diverse country approximately the size of Nevada with a population of just under 13 million. Its culture blends Spanish colonialism with indigenous traditions, while its terrain includes beaches, mountains, volcanoes and jungle. Quito, the capital and second largest city in Ecuador, is situated 9,300 feet above sea level and will serve as home base. |
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| Faculty leader | Rick Clark, a faculty member in Northwestern’s department of modern world languages, will lead this program in collaboration with the Andean Studies Program based in Quito. Professor Clark has been teaching college or high-school level Spanish for 30 years. He is fluent in Spanish and was raised in Ecuador. He has extensive travel experience, including study and mission trips to Spain, Mexico, Honduras and Ecuador. Professor Clark is also an assistant coach for Northwestern’s nationally recognized men’s basketball team. |
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| Course and credit | Gen 350: Topics in Cross-Cultural Studies: Ecuador, 6 credits. This course fulfills NWC’s cross-cultural general education requirements. Spanish majors or minors may choose to apply 4 credits from the program to their Spanish electives. Summer study abroad courses cannot be taken for audit. |
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| Program structure | The required pre-trip seminar will cover various academic and logistical aspects of the course via lectures, discussions, movies and Q&A time. Participants will meet on-campus during spring semester and will have assignments for the month of June. Just prior to departure for Ecuador, the group will spend one day on campus to finalize preparations. Once on-site, participants will spend the first three weeks of the program in Quito living with host families and attending two courses, Spanish language and Ecuadorian culture. The final week of the program will be spent in the Amazon on the service-learning project and on a trip to the Isla de la Plata. The program will integrate a variety of course activities and excursions, assignments, presentations and guest lecturers. Frequent group discussion/debriefing times will also play a prominent role in the course. A complete syllabus and PowerPoint presentation can be found on Professor Clark’s website. |
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| Transportation | Current plans have students flying as a group into Quito. Once on-site, a variety of transportation methods will be used. |
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| Housing and meals | While in Quito, students will live and take meals with their Ecuadorian families. Living with a host family is one of the best ways to experience a culture and practice the language. While on overnight excursions, students will stay as a group in a hotel or similar housing. |
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| Excursions and day trips | Day trips include a visit to Mount Cotopaxi, a volcano with a summit elevation of over 19,000 feet, Bellavista Rain Forest, and the HCJB World Radio Mission. A weekend trip to Otavalo will have students taking in the local markets and customs. The program will end with a visit to the hot springs of Baños, and two days in Puerto López/Isla de la Plata for whale watching and R&R on the beach. |
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| Service-learning project | A trip into the Amazon jungle will be part of the program’s final experiences. Students will live among members of the Huaorani tribe and participate in a service-learning project. The Huaorani tribe is widely known for their role in the deaths of the five missionary martyrs of 1956. |
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| Passport and visa | For U.S. citizens, a passport is required for entry into Ecuador; a visa is not required for tourist stays of less than 90 days. Information on how to obtain a passport is available from the summer study abroad office or the State Department website. |
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| Vaccinations and health information | The Center for Disease Control recommends that all routine vaccinations are up to date. The following immunizations/medications are required: hepatitis A and malaria antibiotics. The following may be recommended: hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid. Food and waterborne diseases are also a threat to participants traveling to South America. Please see the faculty leader and the Center for Disease Control website for more information and complete details. |
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| Eligibility | All NWC students with one year (or equivalent) of college-level Spanish and a minimum GPA of 2.5 (or with the consent of the faculty leader) are eligible to apply. This program is also available to non-NWC students on a space-available basis. |
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| Application | The 2006 Ecuador application consists of the two-page application form, two recommendations (one from a faculty member, one from a resident director), and a (student copy) transcript. Applications are available from the faculty leader, the summer study abroad office (SSAO) or on the website. |
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| Application deadline | Feb. 1, 2006. Early application is encouraged, as there is limited space on this program. A minimum enrollment is needed in order for the program to run. After the deadline, call for space availability information. |
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| Program fee | Tentatively, the program fee will be $4,200 per student. The final fee will depend on the actual number of participants and confirmed prices for airfare, exchange rates, etc. A better estimate of cost will be given in February, and the final fee will be determined around April 1. Every effort is being made to keep the cost at a minimum. The program fee includes tuition for six credits (at a reduced rate of half off regular summer school tuition rates), airfare, in-country transportation, housing, meals or meal stipend, international insurance (medical evacuation and repatriation coverage, basic health), pre-trip seminar and orientation, excursions, and entry fees. Participants will need to cover books, passport and pictures, exit tax (approx. $25), int’l phone cards, immunizations and antibiotics, some meals, and individual travel and spending money, among other items.
Northwestern College summer study abroad programs are academic, educational, credit-bearing experiences—not mission projects. Study abroad programs are for-credit opportunities that focus on broadening students’ worldview through immersion in and academic exploration of a different culture. Therefore, the Northwestern College summer study abroad office does not sponsor nor coordinate fundraising activities to help participants cover the cost of the program fees. Payment of the program fees remains the responsibility of the participant. |
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| Tuition waiver | The regular Northwestern College tuition waiver policy applies to summer study abroad courses. Eligible employees and their dependents may use the tuition waiver for the tuition amount only of the summer study abroad program fee. (See the staff and faculty handbooks for more information.) Tuition waivers may not be used for the $250 deposit.
A full-tuition waiver for a 2006 four-credit course will equal $520 off the final program fee. A full-tuition waiver for a 2006 six-credit course will equal $780 off the final program fee. (These figures equal the actual amount of tuition charged to participants as part of the final program fee, which is a special half-off discount of 2006 summer school tuition rates.)
Interested students should see Jill Fischer in the summer study abroad office for more details. |
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| Deposit | Upon acceptance into the program, a $250 deposit will be required to hold a participant’s slot. This deposit will be applied to the final program fee. |
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| Financial aid | Financial aid, in the form of loans, may be available. Contact the NWC financial aid office for more information. |
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| Payment deadline | After determination of the final program fee, on or around April 1, the SSAO will send out billings. Deadline for payment is May 1. Participants will be provided with the Payment, Cancellation and Refund policies upon acceptance into the program. |
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Summer study abroad
