Ecuador: Andes and Amazon Field School Quichua
Summer Program

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and out of an abundance of caution with the health and well-being of our students and guests, the full six weeks will be completed online for Summer 2021.

June 13, 2021-July 23, 2021

Program Overview

The Andes and Amazon Field School in Ecuador, co-sponsored by FIU’s Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center and University of Pittsburgh, will immerse you in the culture and environment of the Amazon for a learning adventure you won’t forget. It provides a comfortable setting where students work with indigenous elders to learn the Quichua language.

The program includes a full week in Ecuador’s pristine Yasuni National Park, one of the wildest areas remaining in the Amazon with the highest biodiversity on earth.

The goal is to provide language and cultural skills for working with indigenous communities or in cross-cultural settings whether in NGOs, academia, business, or government.

This program has high social networking benefit. On average, it includes a group of 10-12 graduate FLAS Fellows from around the country as well as numerous faculty and scholars in residence who are at the top of their respective fields. Hiking through the forest and talking around the fire at night creates a lasting bond.

Location Description:

The Andes Amazon Field School is located at the Iyarina lodge in the Napo region of Ecuador. Iyarina is located on the South bank of the Napo River, 100 miles (220 km) east of Quito, and 17 kilometers from the town of Tena. Just 4 hours over a paved road from Quito. At approximately 600 meters (1965 feet) above sea level the area is characterized by small Quichua communities clustered along the river bank. The forest surrounding these communities is among the most bio-diverse in the world with a high number of endemic species of flora and fauna. Iyarina is located directly on the waterfront surrounded by a 1380 acre (630 hectare) rainforest reserve.

Housing:

Students will be staying in spacious rooms that look out on the river and forest. Double or triple occupancy rooms are available. Bathrooms are in rooms with abundant hot water. High quality mattresses for a good rest. Students will sleep to the sound of frogs, the river, and heavy rain on the roof, and then wake to the sound of birds.

Three meals per day are provided in a dining room with an expansive view of the Napo River. A single menu du jour is served family style to all guests. Recipes include a mixture of Ecuadorian and American dishes with opportunities to savor Andean and Amazonian cuisine. Vegetarian meals are available. All meals are prepared with high standards of food safety.

Dates:

June 13, 2021 - July 23, 2021

Courses & Credits

The Andes and Amazon Field School provides 140 contact hours of Amazonian Quechua language instruction and meets the requirements for the FLAS fellowships established by the Department of Education. You will receive grades for the Quechua courses through Florida International University and will be evaluated upon the completion of the course using testing instruments provided by the USDE.

• LAS 4931 (3 credits) LATAM Special Topics- Quichua Studies
• LAS 4294 (3 credits) Contemporary LATAM Studies- Ecuadorian Culture and Society

Courses will cover material from Quichua 1, Quichua 2, and Ecuadorian culture and society.

Program Cost:

$7,500.00 (covered by FLAS Fellowship)

Application

Open to FIU or Non-FIU students with an FIU FLAS award only
Please contact Viroselie Caviedes at vcaviede@fiu.edu for information on how to apply

FIU Summer 2021 FLAS application - Deadline January 1, 2021

Application Deadline

April 10, 2021

Program Information

Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center
Viroselie Caviedes, Academic Programs Coordinator, DM 353
T: 305-348-2894
E: vcaviede@fiu.edu