Global Education

Feb 12 2024

We journeyed forth on our environmental field trip this past week.  Our destination was a traditional village that is working to address environmental and economic issues by reforestation with productive trees (mango and avocado) and development of environmental tourism to...

Feb 11 2024

This week, we visited a property on the outskirts of Quito where two families that sadly and abruptly fled their home countries have found a place to live. The location was generously lent by a member of the Mennonite Church...

Feb 11 2024

SST students and faculty visited Dream Farm, a flower producing facility in Guayllabamba, a small town 45 minutes north from Quito. We learned that the business of flowers is a huge source of revenue for the area, specially before Valentine’s...

Feb 11 2024

This week we were privileged to see several new sides of Indonesian culture.  Last Monday was opening day of the new semester of classes at the university in which we study (UKDW, here in Yogyakarta).  We were invited to the...

Feb 11 2024

Otavalo, a small town, two hours north from Quito, is world known for its artisanal crafts such as textiles, musical instruments, jewelry, hats, and hammocks. The community is proud of its indigenous heritage, practices, language, and customs. María Virginia Farinango...

Feb 06 2024

Our first day with Ibu Kitsie and Pak Wakidi was so amazing, and there was more in store for us.  They had arranged for our Goshen group to play the song that we had just learned in an actual wayang...

Feb 04 2024

Last Thursday, we left our beloved Quito for some adventurous adventures in Imbabura Province, named after a great inactive volcano. Our agenda included hiking around a lagoon in a volcanic crater, meeting new SST partners, and visiting Parque Condor, a...

Feb 04 2024

On Wednesday after class, students traveled by commuter train up to Solo: Quite the trip–standing room only!  Luckily the train ride was just an hour, and everyone emerged (relatively) unscathed.  The Setiawan family actually was on our way to Semarang...

Feb 04 2024

While in Mindo, we visited Quetzal Mindo, a chocolate shop, garden, and tasting tour. Sergio, our Portuguese guide —whose Spanish is better than my Portuguese— explained that cocoa harvesting originated in what now is Ecuador, but it was mostly used...

Feb 01 2024

Mindo, a small town located about 2 hours from Quito, is tucked in the middle of green luscious mountains and singing rivers. Because of its biodiversity, beautiful views, and environmental projects, Mindo has become a great ecotourist attraction. The locals...

Jan 31 2024

It’s been a little too long since we updated the blog.  We’ve been busy with language classes and becoming acquainted with the city of Yogyakarta.  Students continue to amaze us with their willingness to be brave and try new things...

Jan 28 2024

Museo Intiñan features a tile covered line that marks the equatorial divide—to make it visible to the naked eye—, plus, life size representations of native people’s houses, ancient tombs, and regional flora and fauna. This provides interactive experiences at a...

Jan 24 2024

During study, Thursdays are our day set aside for a full-day field trip.  For this first day, we planned on visiting the Kraton here in Yogyakarta.  Yogya is a “special district” and continues to have a living Sultan who rules...

Jan 24 2024

Oswaldo Guayasamin (1919-1999) is considered one of the most important visual artists of the 20th century, not only in Ecuador or Latin America, but in the world. His work is visually vibrant, emotionally compelling, and politically engaged. He depicted scenes...

Jan 24 2024

The first week of classes included lectures, museum visits, church tours, and silly games. On the weekend, students went out on adventures big and small with their host families.   On Saturday morning, some students didn’t go on family outings....

Jan 20 2024

Orientation for this year’s SST Ecuador group was packed full of activities, places to see and new people to meet. The first week of classes set us into a more quotidian rhythm of family life, academic activities, group discussions, and...

Jan 17 2024

Has it really only been one week since the SSTer’s arrived?  The first week of SST was brimming with new experiences: the first days of jet-lagged orientation, meeting host families, language class, bus trips, a lecture, new food…. Language class…

Jan 17 2024

          We could’t catch everyone, but we capture the pivotal moment of families picking up their “newest” members.

Jan 14 2024

Saturday was a full day of orientation.  We started the morning with a walk to UKDW, the university where our language classes will take place.  On the way we stopped at Ibu Ning and Ibu Martha’s home so students meet...

Jan 14 2024

Good morning (or whenever you are reading this)! After a few delays, interrupted sleep, and moments of uncertainty, the SST Spring 2024 group started orientation with a burst of energy, enthusiasm … and some silliness!     As the students...

Jan 12 2024

And they’re here! As the Indonesia 2024 SST leaders, my partner Ben & I have been in Indonesia for the past month, meeting with host families, language teachers, lecturers, and other partners.  We have enjoyed settling into our house in...

Jan 11 2024

Good morning! (or whenever you are reading this) After a few delays and moments of incertitude, the SST Spring 2024 group has started orientation! As the students were leaving home, Ecuador’s people suffer moments of tension, sadness,  and fear. News...

Aug 02 2023

Summer 2023 Ecuador students returned to the capital city of Quito this past weekend from their six-week service placements in smaller cities and towns across five Ecuadorian provinces.  Their final weekend retreat was held at a beautiful rural location in...

Jul 31 2023

Craig Elias reflects on several of the service projects, or “community-engaged learning” activities, that our indigenous hosts invited us to participate in during the final weeks of our Navajo Hopi Study Service Term (SST): Today we talked as a group...