Spanish 233 - Ecuador
Interim 2009

Prerequisite: Spanish 231
Instructor: Professor Sylvia G. Carullo ( carullo@stolaf.edu ) (507) 786-3470
Cost: $3,345.00

Spanish 233 (the equivalent of SPA 232 on campus) integrates the study of language and content. Students will continue to develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in Spanish as they acquire and process information about Ecuador and its culture. Special emphasis will be given to description and narration, comparison and contrast, and explanation and analysis of cultural topics such as:

è Ecuador Regions: The Coast Region, the Highlands Region (the Andes ),the Amazonian or Jungle Region, and the Galapagos Archipelago.
è Ethnicity & Culture: the mestizo, the Amerindians, the African, the Spanish & other ethnic groups.
è Religion: Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and the native belief-systems of the indigenous people.
è Family & Kin: Male and female roles in the country's social fabric.
è Contemporary Ecuador : economic and political challenges

Map Ecuador

Prerequisites: Completion of Spanish 231 with a grade of B- or above (or approval of the instructor) or the equivalent (for example, having placed into Spanish 232). Students who have completed Spanish 232 on campus are not eligible to take Spanish 233 in Ecuador for credit.

General Education (GE) credits: Spanish 233 has been approved for the following GE credentials:

– Foreign Language ( FOL-S )
– Multicultural Studies – Global Course ( MCS-G )

Course overview and expectations : Spanish 233 will be based in Quito , the capital of Ecuador since 1830, a city of 1.4 million people, located near the equatorial line, in the Andean mountains at the foot of Mount Pichincha , 9200 feet above sea level. Quito , known as “El Hueco en el cielo” ( “The Opening to Heaven” ) or “The Light of America” ( “La Luz de América” ), is divided into the modern city and the historical or colonial city—declared by UNESCO as “Cultural Heritage of Humanity,” in 1978.

Students will be expected to attend and participate actively in all class sessions and formally scheduled out-of-class activities and field trips. Daily classes will normally meet in the morning at facilities owned by the Andean Study Programs in downtown Quito, although classes may be held in other locations during excursions. All class activities will be conducted in Spanish. Integrated language/content assignments will focus on the learning of cultural information through selected reading assignments from a variety of resources (essays, short stories, current newspapers and magazines, documents on religious, economic and/or political topics, interviews, among others.); interviews with native speakers of Spanish; guest lectures; and experiential learning activities. Evaluation and grades will be based on: quality of class participation in oral activities (small- and large- group discussions, oral reports, debates, others.); quality of daily writing assignments and compositions; quizzes and written exams; and a final Exam (format to be decided).

Supplementary activities in Quito-Afternoon : Afternoons will be devoted to cross-cultural activities in Quito , including: visits to historical sites, museums, churches, monuments, and other places of cultural interest; on-site cultural observation assignments; and participation in or attendance at music or dance events. Again, these activities will be conducted in Spanish.

Family homestay in Quito : All students will live in private homes in Quito during the interim. This stay hosted by a local family will provide an experience in language immersion and allow students to participate in family life in Ecuador . Few, if any, homes will be in walking distance of the Andean Study Programs building, and students will take local public transportation (buses) to get to class.

Overnight excursions : Four overnight weekend excursions will introduce students to the diversity of Ecuador 's geographical regions, its people and its cultures. There will be program visits to the:

•  Highland or Interandean Region, Otavalo: Located in Ecuador 's Andean Highlands,two hrs. north of Quito , in Imbabura province, Otavalo is home to important indigenous and African Ecuadorian communities. It is famous for its Saturday market, which will allow us to gain insight into the impact of tourism on an indigenous community.

•  Highland or Interandean Region, Baños: Located in the province of Tungurahua, Baños, high in the Ecuadorian Andes, is on the edge of the Amazonian rainforest southeast of Quito, and four hrs. by bus from Quito . The small town of Baños will introduce students to Amazonian cultures and their folk religion, a blend of Catholicism and indigenous beliefs.

•  Highland or Interandean Region, Tigua: The Tigua village is in the region with the same name, close to Zumbahua in the Cotopaxi Province . This small community offers a view of another indigenous group and the challenges it faces in achieving economic success from the tourist industry while still maintaining its native traditions.

•  The Amazonic Region (“The Lungs of the World”), Napo Province: Located in the Amazon rainforest southeast of Quito, the Napo area will introduce us to the ecological diversity of tropical Ecuador and to current efforts to find sustainable solutions to the challenges confronted by the Amazon region.

Program Cost: The program cost is $3345.00. This fee includes air transportation, room and board (family homestay and hotel accommodations and meals on excursions), out-of-class cultural activities, entrance fees and admissions charges, and instructional fees. Additional student expenses include: books and course materials, local transportation in Quito (bus fare to and from class) and any personal spending money.

Application Procedure: Completed applications are due May 1, 2008. Please submit your written application according to the procedures outlined by the International and Off-Campus Studies Office. Acceptance to the program will be based on written applications, fulfillment of the academic requirements, and a formal interview with the instructor. Applications submitted after May 1, 2008 will be held for fall deadline, in early October if there are slots available.

For more information: Please contact Professor Sylvia G. Carullo, Department of Romance Languages, Old Main 22D, ext 3470, (carullo@stolaf.edu).