El Volcán Reventador, Ecuador

Studying abroad in Ecuador has done much more for me than serving as an opportunity to better my Spanish. In the seven months I have been here, I have been able to experience a wide variety of places and events and meet diverse people. For example, this past November, two things happened. For the first time since the early 90's, Ecuador held its first real elections and the volcano Reventador erupted. Experiencing elections in a Latin American country was definitely different, and I highly doubt I would have ever gotten a chance to live through a volcano eruption back in the United States.

In addition to these events, I have also gotten a chance to travel in Ecuador which is an extremely varied country, geographically speaking. Throughout my travels, I have done things including a hike up snow-capped volcano Chimborazo, many beach vacations, Carnaval in Ambato, a trip into the Amazonian rainforest, and a Saturday in Otavalo, the famous indigenous market. However, staying in Quito also provides quite a range of things to do, from visiting the equator to seeing the historic, colonial center of town to going out to La Mariscal at night.

These past seven months have provided me with such a wonderful study abroad experience. Whatever happens in the months to come, whether it be traveling, another volcano eruption or just everyday life in Quito, I know I will always consider the images and people of Ecuador unforgettable, and I'm sure I will be back one day to make more memories.

--Sarah Johnson, '04

Sarah is studying Hispanic Literature --as well as Chemistry and Sociology-- at the Universidad de San Francisco in Quito, Ecuador. For more information on the school, go to www.usfq.edu.ec/