Boston College offers 48 study abroad programs in Europe, yet only six in Asia, nine in South America, seven in Oceana, and three in Africa. So, wanting to try something a little further from the beaten path, I decided to spend four and a half months in Quito, Ecuador for my study abroad experience. It was a tough choice, no doubt about it. It was hard to give up the idea of sipping wine and eating tapas in Madrid for something a little more outside my comfort zone, but I got more out of the experience than I ever could have imagined. While at times all I wanted was a good internet connection and some sort of protein-oriented meal, I walked away with a better understanding of the world around me and a memory full of incredible adventures.
Europe study abroad programs are rich in culture with countless museums, cathedrals, and ruins, but I had the privilege of experiencing some of South America’s own rich culture which unfortunately is far too often marginalized by westerners. Us eleven BC students who traveled down south for the semester took a class together in Ecuadorian and South American history, and we had quite a number of field trips to various cultural centers and historically significant sights through our program.
One of these trips was an immersion experience in an indigenous town known as San Clemente. While there we learned about the lifestyles of indigenous people in Ecuador and the political and socioeconomic troubles they face in today’s world. Unfortunately, the people of San Clemente’s plight is a common one among indigenous populations around the world, and our stay with them offered us insight into the intrusion modernity can make in the lives of certain populations.
Another incredibly rewarding experience I had was traveling to an impoverished Afro-Ecuadorian community on the outskirts of Esmeraldas with my Math for Economics class. While there we conducted an economic experiment in a small island town on the coast, and were able to interact with the locals. Their economic situation was bleak, yet they still seemed so happy and full of energy. Upon our arrival the whole town greeted us at the dock and sang us a song to welcome us, which they then repeated as we headed out again. They were so friendly and cheerful, yet it was such a tragedy to see the state in which they lived.
Along with the socioeconomic situation of the country, Ecuador’s biodiversity was another major influence of my time spent abroad. Ecuador has three separate regions: the coast, the mountains, and the rainforest- All of which are completely different environments. I traveled almost every weekend to various places and got to travel by boat through the Amazon rainforest, jump off a bridge, repel down waterfalls (I cried during that one- it was a little too intense I won’t lie), and watch an active volcano erupt. This all culminated in a ten day adventure in which we traveled to Cusco, Peru to visit Machu Picchu and then turned around and immediately flew to the Galapagos Islands. I saw one of man’s greatest achievements, as well as one of nature’s, all in the course of a little over a week. You probably can’t say that about any other abroad program offered at BC.
But the point of this article is not to brag about the amazing adventures I had or to preach about some newfound call to social justice. The point of this article is to inspire any underclassmen who are unsure of where to study abroad. You can go to Spain, France, Germany, or any other country along those lines and spend your days relatively inside your comfort zone. Or you can challenge yourself, mentally, physically, or both and choose an experience which you may consider a little less safe, a little less easy. I promise you; it will be worth it.
My time in Ecuador was eye-opening and I began to further understand the political, social, and economic state of the world. I also learned quite a bit about myself and my capabilities, as well as my place in this world and who I want to become as I move forward. Personally, I know in the future I will grasp at any opportunity I have to travel, I will search for a vocation in which I can work towards social justice in some capacity or another, and try to live as simply and as happily as I can. This certainly isn’t everyone’s calling, and you may already know what yours is, but I guarantee that if you choose the country you think may be a little more adventurous, a little more difficult, you will walk away with a much richer experience and a better sense of yourself.