March Newsletter
February/ March 2006, Newsletter
SPRING SEMESTER IN THE ANDES
With all the nerves of being in a different country out of the way, the Spring Semester in the Andes students have really flourished in their new home of Cuenca, Ecuador. In the first cycle of classes, some of the students enjoyed a rare opportunity to take either an Environmental class or a Biodiversity class taught by Dr. David Silverberg, one of National Geographic's leading research scientists in geographical ecology. Through his participation in the program, many students were able to get an expert's perspective on the unique diversity of species of plants and animals that inhabit the various ecosystems found in Ecuador. This expertise also extended to the Galapagos Islands. All students were able to enjoy CEDEI's first of many trips to the Galapagos Islands included in our Spring Semester program. After a week of snorkeling, boating, eating freshly caught fish and learning about the very same animals that Darwin discovered when he wrote his theory of evolution, the students found it very hard to return, even if it was returning to Cuenca!
Now in the second cycle, the students have settled into their new classes and have been enjoying their days in their host families' homes. Still another month to go before Perú, but many cannot stop talking about it. We are all anticipating an amazing trip to Lima, Cuzco and especially Macchu Pichu. Not to mention the students will need to leave a lot of room in their suitcases for all the sweaters, handicrafts and jewelry they're already talking about buying! However, many have expressed that although they are excited for the Perú trip, they know that it means they will have to leave Cuenca. They are trying hard not to think about it, seeing as many will be very sad to leave their Ecuadorian families from whom they've learned so much and shared so many great memories.
Still, there's plenty of time left to enjoy Cuenca and it's surroundings. Just recently the students visited Gualaceo/ Chordeleg, and Giron. The students enjoyed seeing the living example of the effects of migration from Ecuador, due to the fact that Gualaceleños have been migrating from their town to other parts of the world (mostly the US) since the 1960's. Giron was a chance to see some of Ecuador's historic sites, such as the house where the treaty that gave Ecuador its independence was signed, and also to hike to some impressive waterfalls.
As they say in Cuenca "El tiempo pasa volando" (Time flies), but the students are determined to make their remaining month in Ecuador a memorable one. It is certain that we as a staff are very much eager to help them in this endeavor.
OHIO UNIVERSITY 2006
CEDEI would like to welcome the program from Ohio University for the 2006 calendar!!! They just arrived March 21st in Quito and have made their way to what will be their home for the next two and a half months. The director, Anne Porter, arrived with the 16 students as well as Ohio's Director of Latin American Studies, Brad Jokisch. The group's first week consisted of touring Quito as well as making a visit to "Mitad del Mundo" (the equator) where they were able to photograph the novelty of having one foot in the Northern Hemisphere and one foot in the Southern Hemisphere!
On another day in Quito, the students enjoyed a day of culture and art visiting the Capilla del Hombre, a museum that holds the life's work of Oswaldo Guayasamín. The students learned about how Guayasamín was Latin America's most reknowned painter. His works can be recognized by the heart-wrenching depictions of the suffering of indigenous populations, as well as other oppressed groups around the world. Later in the day, the students were able to visit the private gallery of 3 of Guayasamín's daughters and his second wife. These women are famous in their own right for their talents in painting, sculpture, jewelry making and documentary film-making. In fact, CEDEI is looking forward to forging a relationship with these remarkable women in the very near future to enhance our variety of offerings in our art department.
The students had time to adjust to their new surroundings in Quito, however, the excitement definitely started to build up to the moment of the students meeting their host families. By Monday morning however, the tentative looks had turned to all smiles as the students compared notes on their families and shared stories about what they ate, where they went and who they met with their families. All in all, it's shaping out to be a great start to an intense program of language courses, cultural lectures, weekend trips and trips to the coast and the jungle. It's hard not to catch the enthusiam of our new additions to the CEDEI family!
