Study Abroad

Mar 01 2022

What a day. We knew it was going to be a big one, but little did we know just how much was in store for Vox. We began as usual. After having breakfast with our host family, my roommate and...

Feb 28 2022

Sunday Feb. 27, 2022 After an intense week of burning, the Goshen team was ready for a relaxing day of fun. Naturally, that meant we woke up bright and early at 6:30 to head to Ol Pejeta, a ranch that...

Feb 27 2022

Vox Profundi’s choir tour continued with our first day of performing. I awoke at 7:00am (which is technically considered sleeping in compared to yesterday) to my roommate having stolen all of the covers from me in the bed we shared....

Feb 27 2022

During our last week of the “study” portion of the term, students traveled to several hours east of Quito to explore the upper Amazon basin. We combined several experiential learning activities – both cultural and environmental, based on the region’s...

Feb 27 2022

Saturday Feb. 26 Today we finished the last of the 36 small 30m X 30m burns in the KLEE plots! I am thankful to all the students, Mpala Research Centre staff, and research colleagues. Asanteni! Here is a video of...

Feb 26 2022

Vox Profundi’s choir tour got off to a great start at 5:45am this morning with zero positive Covid tests! We departed from the music center at 6:30am en route for Plains Mennonite Church in Pennsylvania. The bus was very quiet...

Feb 26 2022

Friday Feb. 26 Today we got up early to burn and discovered that, as with most fieldwork, plans change. Our colleagues from Harvard were having trouble with some drone equipment they were using in the KLEE plots and we got...

Feb 26 2022

It’s the night before the Vox Profundi choir tour commences, and I’m a bundle of nerves, excitement and sadness. I’m nervous for all the tour details, including performances, homestays, COVID logistics, travel issues, student health and much more.  But I’m...

Feb 24 2022

This blog reports on the 2022 research trip to Kenya where I am collaborating with colleagues from various universities (UC Davis, Karatina University, and Utah State University) to implement prescribed burns inside the Kenya Longterm Exclosure Experiment (KLEE).  With me...

Feb 22 2022

The Goshen College Vox Profundi choir will spend their spring break touring and performing in churches and schools in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio from Feb. 26 through March 4, with a home concert on Sunday, March 6 at 7:30…

Feb 20 2022

We had a full week of classes and wrapped up several large academic pieces to the term. Friday evening students hosted their families for a program and goodbye party.   Last night (Saturday) we arrived here to Hostal Pakay in...

Feb 13 2022

After a few days of class in Quito we took off for the north, arriving to the beautiful city of Otavalo in the province of Imbabura for several days.   Here is a short clip of some of the music...

Feb 11 2022

Hello again from Philadelphia! We continue to work and live amongst the gracious and lively Indonesian community here in Southern Philadelphia.

Feb 07 2022

We continue individually and as a group to process the tragedy of the landslides in Quito that occurred last week not far from some of our host families and in a neighborhood that we have, on a couple occasions, passed through...

Feb 05 2022

Jan 31 2022

Welcome to our Indonesia SST 2022 blog, we’re glad you’re here! One of the first questions you might have is – “Why do your photos look like they are NOT from Indonesia?”. This fearless group of Goshen College students is...

Jan 31 2022

After a couple of normal days of class, we made our way through the mountains to the northwest region of the Pichincha province where we explored the amazing cloud forest. We are bringing last weeks’ historical context with us as...

Jan 25 2022

Welcome to the Indonesia SST 2022 blog! Due to the complicated nature of travel during COVID-19, the spring 2022 Indonesia SST group is starting their semester in Philadelphia – at the Philadelphia Praise Center – to immerse themselves with the…

Jan 23 2022

Time is flying by and students are settling into a new rhythm here in Quito between classes and a new life with their host families. The omicron wave is beginning here in Ecuador and we’re continuing to make adjustments as...

Jan 17 2022

Welcome to Quito! We are so pleased and honored to welcome 15 new students to this beautiful country of Ecuador. And welcome to you, who may be following along and supporting our journey from afar. We had an absolutely fantastic...

Nov 29 2021

Nov 22 2021

Today was a different day here in Salinas de Guaranda (Salinas for short). It was sunny and beautiful unlike the usual rainy weather we have been getting. I was really excited to know what I will be doing today since...

Nov 20 2021

Mindo, where my service portion of SST is located, is between the descent from the Andes to the coast.  It is one of Ecuador’s most biodiverse places with birdwatching being one of the well-known activities.  It is two hours away...

Nov 14 2021