Service-Learning Program in Guayaquil, Ecuador

Study Abroad integrated with Volunteer Service Volunter in Ecuador, Volunteer Service Combined with Academic Study

Deeper, More Meaningful Study Abroad

Ecuador spans the equator on the northwest coast of South America. With its cultural diversity and wide range of environments—the Galapagos Islands, the coastal areas of the Pacific, the Andes mountain range, and the headwaters of the Amazon—Ecuador provides an ideal location for you to live in and learn about South America, encountering directly the issues and concerns of this great southern continent. In Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city and gateway to the Galapagos, you will enjoy a tropical climate with varied and abundant flora and fauna and a newly revitalized waterfront, or "Malecon." You will also encounter dramatic contrasts of wealth and poverty, and the social issues generated through that disparity.

You will spend a semester developing your Spanish skills; studying Ecuadorian history, culture, and society at Universidad Espiritu Santo; living with an Ecuadorian family; and serving 15–20 hours a week in an Ecuadorian community agency. Your volunteer service immerses you in the culture and deepens your understanding of Ecuadorian society in a way that goes beyond that experienced in traditional study abroad programs. It also facilitates your mastery of Spanish.

Program Facts

Language of Instruction

Spanish and/or English

Affiliated institution:

Universidad Espiritu Santo (UEES)

Courses & Credits:

Spanish Language | Credits: 3-6 (3 per module)
Ecuadorian Socioeconomics | Credits: 3
Institutions in Ecuadorian Society | Credits: 6
Electives | Credits: 3
Spanish Language | Credits: 3
Institutions in Society - Coastal Ecology | Credits: 3
Institutions in Society - Community Health | Credits: 3

Service Opportunities:

teaching English as a Second Language
health care through medical and dental clinics
health education
tutoring and recreation for children and teens
community and economic development
More...

Housing:

Homestay

Dates, Costs & Deadlines:

Summer I 2009	05/26/2009 - 06/28/2009	$4,950	Application Due 04/15/2009
Summer II 2009	06/27/2008 - 08/01/2009	$4,950	Application Due 04/15/2009
Fall 2009	08/25/2009 - 12/18/2009	$11,990	Application Due 06/01/2009
Spring 2010	01/05/2010 - 04/24/2010	$11,990	Application Due 12/01/2009
Summer I 2010	05/27/2010 - 06/26/2010	$5,030	Application Due 04/15/2010
Summer II 2010	07/01/2010 - 07/31/2010	$5,030	Application Due 04/15/2010

Why IPSL?

Accelerated language learning
Integrated study abroad experience
Making a difference to people in need
Full cultural immersion
Real cultural understanding
Meaningful growth and personal insight

Program Director(s):

Mr. Christopher O'Connell

Eligibility:

The program welcomes students of any nation. TOEFL equivalent 550. Academic studies are taught in Spanish and/or English. (See individual course descriptions.) Minimum Spanish prerequisite: 2 years of secondary school Spanish or 1 year of college/university Spanish, or the equivalent.

What's Included:

Fees include all instruction; orientation; housing and 3 meals per day; service placement and supervision; health insurance; field trips; administrative fees; and pre-departure materials. Personal expenses not covered by fees include: airfare; books; spending money; and local travel.

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