Pre-Departure Thoughts by Kristin

We are officially leaving for Ecuador in just a matter of a few short days! All of us have put hard work in to the preparation needed for this course, and we are so excited to finally be able to experience what we have been studying, reading, and writing about. Over the course of the semester, our class met once a month in order to discuss logistical preparations and academic course content. We have all been reading Looptail, a book by Bruce Poon Tip, who is the founder of G Adventures. G Adventures is the company we will be shadowing throughout our time in Ecuador in order to observe how they accomplish providing travel opportunities to their customers. G Adventures is the company that we chose to shadow because they represent a model of tourism that is sustainable. Sustainable tourism is a unique type of tourism which exposes travelers to a new place in a way that is supportive of the host country's environment, economy, and cultures. So, for example, G Adventures works with local hotel and restaurant providers in Ecuador to keep money local. We will also be visiting a host of cultural heritage sites, and frequenting markets which sell goods and services provided and made by local people. The class will also be observant of the footprint we're leaving in Ecuador in terms of what we bring in and leave behind-- this can be as simple as choosing to use biodegradable and recyclable products while we're travelling, to participating in projects which will make a more lasting impact in the communities we visit; we plan on volunteering with the Salesiano Street Children Project, a non-profit organization supported by G Adventures, while we are in Quito. Overall, our objective is to explore the concept of sustainable tourism through both theoretical classroom work, and through the practical experiences we will have every day in Ecuador.

Every member of our class has also written papers on a site which we will visit and and issue which we will encounter while in Ecuador. Each student is required to give a presentation on their issues and sites as we're reaching them so that we can learn not only from our leaders and from Ecuador itself, but from each other. I am so thankful for the opportunity that we have to travel together as a Maryville community.

To keep up with what's going on with us while we're in Ecuador, you can check out the Itinerary tab for an idea of where we'll be each day, and we will post here on the blog as often as we can! Be sure to follow the hashtag #MCinEcuador for social media updates as well!

Anticipation

This is our route for the Sustainable Tourism Ecuador Program!  Follow our journey!

Travel abroad comes with many emotions - both for experienced and non-experienced travelers.  Here are some quotes from some of the MC travelers as they anticipated their upcoming journey:

"My aspirations are quite simple: exceed the current comfort level and have fun while doing so. I want to learn to cope with unfamiliar situations."

"I am very interested in the environmental aspect of this course. The environment and sustainability are extremely important to me and being part of a course based in a location that takes the topic so seriously will only help to expand my knowledge further and help me understand the importance that other cultures place on sustaining their natural environment."

" I have made it a goal of mine to try as many foods as possible. Trying  new foods can be scary but also really fun, and I love encountering flavors and textrues that simply do not exist in the US."

"I think that in some ways it will be like a sort of pilgrimmage for me.  By getting completely out of my comfort zone, I hope that I will find an even deeper drive for my future goals than what I have now."

"Become more in tune with nature"