Trip Description
Week One
During your first few days in the Andean capital city of Quito (elevation 9,350 ft) you will be introduced to Ecuadorian culture and ecology and given language instruction from native Spanish speakers. Then travel to the cloud forests of Tandayapa and Mindo Valley to learn about a region which holds some of the highest biodiversity in the world.
Hike in the forest, go tubing down a river or ride the “teleférico” sky lift up to the forest canopy. Participate in a reforestation project to protect the highly diverse, yet fragile cloud forest ecosystem.
Week Two
Travel by bus along the Avenue of Volcanoes, stopping at Cotopaxi, the world's highest active volcano, and then down through Baños into the hot, tropical Amazon Rainforest. Conclude your Ecuadorian adventure in the heart of the rainforest, with hikes into the forest and canoe rides down the Napo River.
| “This has been one of the most amazing experiences I could ever dream of.”
-Autumn Wells, Cleveland, OH
|
Throughout the journey, part of each day will be spent in Spanish conversation, focusing on survival skills needed to communicate with native Quichua families. You will shop at open-air markets, stand on the line that marks the actual Equator, and gain a deep appreciation of the diversity which Ecuador has to offer.
This trip emphasizes the personal
transformations that can come about through
deep exposure to another culture and terrain. Summer abroad programs
for highschoolers can be more than just
seeing new places; with SAGE, they are opportunities
to be active participants in communities
around the world!
Travel Details
Students and Trip Leaders meet and depart from either Miami or Houston airport, then fly on to Quito, returning the same way.
Trip Itineraries: Culture and Ecology of Ecuador
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more information? Ready to Apply?
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Encounter India
Date: |
June 28 - July 18, 2009 |
Cost: |
$4500, plus international airfare
ONLY $3500 with our $1000 scholarships!! |
Trip Highlights
Encounter India offers participants from around the world an opportunity to come together, work, learn, and experience the real India. Students will have the chance to volunteer and work with various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) which work in rural grassroots development. There is also opportunity to travel within India and to discover its culture, hospitality and diversity. Summer abroad programs for highschoolers are rarely this all-encompassing, thought-provoking and fun! |
Trip Description
Part One
In the first twelve days students live on the United World College of India campus. Through a dynamic program of hands-on activities, skill building workshops and lively discussions, students explore the socio-economic, political and cultural frameworks of the Indian subcontinent. Working alongside 3 NGOs, they then move out into rural Maharashtra to engage with the people whose cultures, life struggles and expectations they have just learned about. This work takes place in the areas of education, interaction with mentally handicapped adults and sustainable agricultural development. The rural context widens into the metropolis as the students are conducted through Pune city, the educational capital of the state with a colorful history that echoes in its streets, buildings and cuisine.
Part Two
The second part of the program gives the students the remarkable opportunity to travel within India to discover its cultural diversity and hospitality. This travel will also expose them to life in the Indian subcontinent with all its attendant frustrations, joys and hopes. We intend this to be a safe, yet mind-altering, experience! From the relative comfort of their own travel and experiences, these youngsters will recognize that they are privileged, and that a life of privilege places upon their young shoulders a moral responsibility to the rest of the world.
| "I went
beyond my personal boundaries going into
a country so different and socializing
with people I have never met. This gave
me a greater sense of independence, and
also made me a more flexible person.
Seeing the diversity, experiencing the
culture and discussing issues widened my
horizons and changed my perspectives."
-Sierra Morgan, Bedford, NY |
Throughout the journey, students experience daily Indian life by shopping at open markets, visiting Hindu temples, and viewing Bollywood films. The trip is also one of SAGE's community service summer abroad programs for highschoolers, offering students the opportunity to serve at a home for mentally challenged adults and be a tutor or mentor for disadvantaged students. In the final days of the trip, SAGE students spend time reflecting and thinking critically about their summer study abroad experience, and discussing what they have learned over the course of the challenging but ultimately fulfilling journey.
Travel Details
Students meet and depart from Newark airport, then fly non-stop to Mumbai, returning the same way. The journey takes place in western and northern India.
Trip Itinerary: Encounter India
Would you like to request
more information? Ready to Apply?
Return to Summer
SAGE information page
|
