By Mackenzie Miller Before leaving for service, Hillary told us that the goal of service is not productivity. As a chronically busy person, I was concerned. I knew going into SST that I would struggle to slow down. I’m usually…
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Ecuador
This blog captures the experiences of Goshen College students participating in Study-Service Term in Ecuador.
Over the course of the semester, students are living with host families, strengthening their Spanish, learning alongside Indigenous communities, and engaging in service that connects local realities with global questions. From the Andes to coastal regions, Ecuador offers a powerful setting for hands-on learning shaped by culture, community, and care. Through these reflections, readers are invited into the everyday moments, challenges, and discoveries that are shaping how students understand the world and their place within it.
Slowing down for the sake of productivity
Study AbroadBeginning Service Term in Ecuador
On Saturday, June 20, our students departed for a new host family and a new setting to begin their Service Term, the second half of SST. Stay tuned for more updates about the communities in which the students are living and the volunteer work they're doing with nonprofits, community organizations, and municipal governments!
Study AbroadSaying farewell (for now) to Quito
By Hillary Harder On Friday night, June 19, our group gathered at our Quito headquarters, La Casa de Espiritualidad, to mark the end of our Study period in Quito. We were joined by our host families, professors, and many community…
Study AbroadLearning from experts: studying Ecuadorian sign language and indigenous history
During our six weeks of study in Quito, students had the opportunity to take classes in two specialized areas: Lengua de Señas Ecuatoriana (LSEC), or Ecuadorian sign language; and Indigenous Peoples and Nationalities of Ecuador. This post includes reflections from…
Study AbroadAt the Gateway to the Amazon
By Hillary Harder This week for our final group trip during the Study period, we traveled to the western edge of the Amazon rainforest. This was our first time leaving the central sierra region of Ecuador and traveling to a…
Study AbroadArts and Artesanía: glimpses of week 5
By Hillary Harder Last week was full of opportunities to take in art in many forms. As our Study period continues, we have been delving into many areas of specialization that Ecuador is particularly known for. Museo Guayasamín On Thursday,…
Study AbroadLiving History in Cuenca
By Hillary Harder This week our travels took us to the beautiful city of Cuenca in the south of Ecuador! Because it’s a long ways from Quito, we broke up the drive and spread our travels over the whole week,…
Study AbroadMusic of the People
By Hillary Harder This week in Quito our group experienced a very different type of “guest lecture” – a musical presentation by a band called the Banda de Pueblo Urbano! The banda de pueblo is a long-standing musical tradition in…
Study AbroadMindo: Cloud forest, Carbon onset, Cascadas, and Chocolate
By Hillary Harder As we reached the end of our second full week in Ecuador, we embarked on our first group trip to the beautiful town of Mindo, located in a cloud forest about two hours northwest of Quito. On…
Study AbroadFirst week in Quito: classes, music, cathedrals, and futbol
Week one of our Study period has been full of rich learning, time with host families, bonding as a group, and seeing beautiful sites around Quito! Here’s a glimpse of what our daily routine looks like on Study, as well as some highlights from this week’s activities.
Study AbroadSettling in with host families in Quito
Over the weekend our students began settling into their new homes with their host families in Quito! The students arrived just in time to celebrate Mother's Day: each family celebrated in their own way
Study AbroadOrientation weekend in Quito
Our group spent three days at a retreat center in Quito getting to know each other and becoming acquainted with our new city.
Study AbroadWhat do SST leaders do before their students arrive?
Ever wondered what SST leaders do during the month before students arrive? Here are a few glimpses of what life has looked like as we prepare.
Study AbroadMeet the leaders: Ecuador Summer SST 2026
Hillary Harder and Micah Detweiler will lead the summer 2026 SST unit in Ecuador.
Study AbroadThank you, Ecuador
On Wednesday, everyone returned to Quito, and we were reunited! It was a joy to spend four precious days together sharing stories from service, laughing and singing together, and processing who we want to be when we return home. The…
Study AbroadFarming in San Pablo
I’m stationed in the town of Latacunga for service, and am working with an organization called Pastoral Social Cáritas. One of the projects that the organization is working on is a farm in San Pablo, which is about a 25-minute…
Study AbroadRuta Hieleros del Chimborazo
One Friday while my host mom was traveling, my host relatives Bethany, Paulina, and Tito took care of me. We explored their town, Guano, including playing at a park and going to a bakery. We went out again at night…
Study AbroadMaría Aurora
At the foundation, “Su cambio por el cambio,” I work with elderly people in the mornings. I enjoy playing games, leading activities, and learning about their lives every day. The majority of the elderly who go to the foundation live…
Study AbroadCultural Reflections
This photo depicts my host sister Areli interacting with the owner of a small market close to my host family’s house in Puyo. My host family often has me take their electric moped to this store in the evenings to…
Study AbroadA Birder’s Take on Ecuador
I freely admit that I’m nuts about birds. In Ecuador, I’ve been carrying my binoculars with me everywhere to search for birds in each hedge, telephone wire, and garden. My sincerest apologies to my fellow SSTers who are likely fed…
Study AbroadService in Ibarra, Otavalo, and Pujilí
At the end of week 2, we began our trips to visit students in their service assignments. This week took us north of Quito to Imbabura province to visit Ray and Izzy in Ibarra and Micah and Alina in Otavalo.…
Study AbroadService Week 1
In preparation to leave for their service assignments last week, the students discussed what “service” means. Rather than thinking of this service period as work, they defined it as: the opportunity to be part of something larger in Ecuador giving…
Study AbroadDespedidas
It is a bittersweet weekend as we said goodbye to our Quito host families and each other and ventured off to our service placements. Our study portion in Quito culminated with a despedida (farewell) fiesta on Friday to thank our…
Study Abroad¡Bailamos!
We’re experiencing lots of fun and smiles during our final week in Quito! Today, Gaby taught us how to salsa dance. There were lots of laughs as we loosened up, flung our arms, twirled our hips, and spun to the…
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