May Term Class: Ecological Economics in Ecuador

On Sunday after walking to church, we all got on our bus to make the five-hour trip to Tena.  The road was winding through the mountains the entire way, so many of us used the time to sleep and enjoy the views.  We arrived at El Establo de Tomas for the night and were able … Keep reading »

The past few days have mostly consisted of one thing:  long bus rides.  The first was a five hour ride from the metropolis of Quito to the middle of the Amazon in Tena.  Motion-sickness pills came in handy on this ride.  As the city scenery slowly faded, the road began winding through densely-forested mountains unlike … Keep reading »

On Sunday after church, we took a 4+ hour drive from Quito to Tena.  The drive was through the mountains.  David Shenk came in clutch, getting some motion sickness medicine for us.  This was a great relief to us who were sick or could easily get sick on a drive that was more steep and … Keep reading »

Hello!  My name is Stuart Aeschliman, a business major from Salem, Oregon.  I bring you today’s blog: On May 5th, the group headed for Rucu Pichincha.  We knew little about the hike other than that the summit stood an impressive 15,407 feet above sea level.  In comparison, Goshen, Indiana has an elevation of approximately 900 … Keep reading »

Many of the students walked to church this morning along a street that is normally busy with traffic, but is closed on Sunday mornings for bikers, walkers, etc. The group attended a Mennonite Church in Quito where we were able to observe and take part in a Mennonite service in Ecuador. After the service, the … Keep reading »

The cultures of Ecuador can be hidden by bustling urban cities such as Quito or being with a large group of people who speak your own language. In the last three days we have had opportunities to work past this barrier and learn about the different urban and indigenous cultures of Ecuador. Our first exposure … Keep reading »

One aspect of Ec3 (Ecological Economics in Ecuador) is ecotourism. Saturday we went on our first hike. The path was dirt from all of the people walking on it and it was eroding. In the center of the path there were deep ruts since there were no plants to hold the soil in place when … Keep reading »

This morning, we walked to La Iglesia Mennonita Anabautista Cristiana de Quito (Quito Mennonite Church). We walked on the Rio Amazonas, a high-way that is closed down on Sundays so people can walk, bike, and enjoy being outdoors.  Quito Mennonite Church has an attendance of about 40-50 people and many of those attendees are refugees … Keep reading »

One of the interesting things that happened today in our trip in Ecuador was the traditional dancing ceremony that we got to see.  The dancing involved older men, women and even children participating in the dance.  The Quechua would have wooden spears that can move around in a circle around the room, while occasionally doing … Keep reading »

Being an economics class one of the focuses of this course is exploring the influence of oil Ecuador’s largest export, on Ecuador’s economy.  Today we heard from Petro Ecuador, a company that transports, refines, and commercializes oil.  Through this presentation we gained some insights into just how integral oil is to the Ecuadorian economy.  Oil … Keep reading »