Ecuador Earthquake Relief and Study Program

In partnership with community members and local organizations, we will be running a humanitarian relief-based study abroad program in Esmeraldas province, Ecuador, focusing on “Inequality in the Developing World” and historical factors that contribute to it. We will look at the intersection of race, poverty, disaster readiness, and media coverage in the context of the recent earthquake in Ecuador. This program is largely an intensive service-learning program, with students working on relief efforts while receiving a hands-on look at some of the issues facing ethnic minorities and rural communities in the developing world.

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The emphasis will be on the Afro-Ecuadorian and indigenous communities, and special attention will be given to the different manifestations of inequality and discrimination that effect them. Through a series of lectures, forums, meetings, and tours with community leaders, activists, and artists and scholars, participants will get first-hand interaction at these communities while providing much-needed relief and humanitarian aid to the affected regions in the aftermath of the earthquakes on the Ecuadorian coast.

We will be splitting our time between study and service, resulting in a unique and fulfilling experience. The Esmeraldas coast of Ecuador has a very compelling and unusual story in regards to the trans-Atlantic slave trade and indigenous cultures and communities. The current situation there is the result of an interesting historical mix of revolution, isolation, conquest, and assimilation, all of which we will be exploring in our intensive program.

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The majority of the program will be spent in the Esmeraldas province, which is the epicenter of Afro-Ecuadorian culture. We will be flying into Quito, the capital, and briefly spending time there on our way to Esmeraldas. Once there, we will tour our worksite and get acquainted with our accommodations, which will be situated close by. We will also have the chance to meet our local Ecuadorian professors and guides at this time. The majority of days of the program will be split between service (mainly cleaning up rubble and distributing needed supplies) at our worksite and educational activities. Students will also have the opportunity to engage with local community members.

The objective of this unique, intensive program is to give participants a comprehensive look into the factors influencing generational inequality in Ecuador and, by extension, the Americas as a whole – while leaving a positive footprint on a region in dire need of assistance. Students will see how geography, culture, race, gender, religion, and politics converge to create the complex reality that we see on the ground in Ecuador, while having the opportunity to do their small part to help in a time of necessity.

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Program cost includes: international round-trip airfare between Miami and Quito, lodging in Ecuador, most meals in Ecuador, all program-related travel within Ecuador, program tuition, 3 semester credit hours, Ecuadorian visa, program-related excursions, travel/emergency medical insurance.

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Cost

The cost of the Bridge to Cuba Program (Summer 2016) will be $2,650, which is all-inclusive (meaning that everything – tuition, lodging, most meals, round-trip travel between Miami and Cuba, travel/emergency health insurance, transcripts, visa fees, program-related travel within Cuba, etc. is covered). The only expenses not included are beverages, some meals, and discretionary spending money.

Prices for each individual trip are as follows:

Summer 2016: $2,650

Dates

This program is offered in the summer of 2016. The approximate dates are as follows (exact dates TBD):

July 5- July 14, 2016

Application Deadline: May 14, 2016

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Cost

The cost of the Ecuador Earthquake Relief and Study Program (Summer 2016) will be $2,950, which is all-inclusive (meaning that everything – tuition, lodging, most meals, round-trip travel between Miami and Ecuador, travel/emergency health insurance, transcripts, visa fees, program-related travel within Ecuador, etc. is covered). The only expenses not included are beverages, some meals, and discretionary spending money.

Prices for each individual trip are as follows:

Summer 2016: $2,950 (August 5-16, 2016)

Dates

This program is offered in the summer of 2016. The approximate dates are as follows (exact dates TBD):

August 5-16, 2016

Application Deadline: July 22, 2016

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email George at gdwilliams@diversityglobal.org, or you can apply here.

Cost

Dates

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