Ok, let's get everyone up-to-speed on my semester plans. I leave September 1st for Quito, Ecuador. I'm studying with Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID), the program I was promised would be most different from a semester at Denison. No offense Granville, I just need some adventure!
All instruction is in Spanish. The good news is that I'm a straight A spanish student... the bad news is I've never used it in a real life situation. Unless you count encountering my spanish professor at the grocery store. But hey, now's the time! I'll be learning about sustainable development and the effects of globalization. In other words, how to address issues of social justice and poverty without destroying languages, indigenous cultures, and the environment in the process (as Americans have traditionally done). You're probably like, oh god, you just made an interesting trip sound positively dreadful. But it sounds fun to me! And the real learning occurs outside of the classroom anyway.
I'll live with a family in Quito for 10 weeks (classroom phase), then move to a small coastal city for 6 weeks of teaching English to an elementary classroom (internship phase). Yes- me- teaching English to little Ecuadorian children. Qualified? We'll see. So I won't just be studying how to better the world, but hopefully putting it into action.
I've been vaccinated for things I didn't even know existed and have a lovely army of antibiotics (side effect: hallucinations), malaria prevention meds (side effect: psychosis), and pepto (side effect: pink vomit). I'm guaranteed certain amenities-- my own bedroom, clean water, food, etc. But I've also been warned it's not a vacation package. It's an experience. This is truly my Alexander-Supertramp-Intothewild moment. I'm so excited!
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