Spring Semester in the Andes

January 10th - May 4th -- 2011

When one considers the vastness that is South America, two places often stand apart from the rest: the Amazon Jungle and the "Lost City of the Incas" or Machu Picchu. The Semester in the Andes program is unique in that it visits both of these South American jewels, not to mention indigenous villages, sandy beaches and snow-capped mountain ranges. These trips are designed to augment classroom study where there are opportunities to study a range of topics in Latin America. The semester is divided into two academic terms,

allowing students to begin with intensive Spanish courses and then choose from several options: further language courses, an internship or service learning project, or courses from several academic disciplines taught in either English or Spanish by an international faculty

"From the moment I stepped off the plane, I felt welcome. The staff went out of the way to make sure that all of us were healthy and safe at all times, and they made themselves readily available to answer all our questions and concerns. During the Semester, they arranged several extracurricular activities, including a visit to a men's prison, where we got to speak to the director about crime and punishment. By the end of the term, not only had my Spanish improved significantly, but I was able to play the zampoña, dance salsa, and discuss Ecuadorian politics and culture." --Stacey Russo, 2003 Semester in the Andes

The Semester in the Andes programs are unique in that they provide a unique study abroad experience in a Spanish-speaking country for students in a wide range of majors. Although the actual course offerings change from year-to-year, every program provides for 12-18 credits, granted from a US university, in diverse areas such as Environmental Education, Business & Marketing, English, Literature, Quechua (an indigenous Andean language), Internships and service learning, History, Journalism, and, of course, Spanish.

The unique academic experience of these programs is coupled with and enhanced by the unrivaled opportunity to travel. During the 11-12 weeks of the program, students will visit indigenous villages, colonial-era haciendas, teeming cities, mountain parks, jungle communities, pre-Inca ruins, and Machu Picchu.

However, perhaps the most important part of the program is the home stay, where students live individually with local families. This allows them to get to know the Ecuadorian culture as no one could ever explain it.

Below you will find a video produced by Fall Semester student Emily Chesser with the help of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater professor Bill Johnson.