Kristen Sawyer

Augustana College and CEDEI Partnership: Cuenca, Ecuador

March 19, 2018

Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois was the original partner and collaborator of CEDEI. The concept of CEDEI began over twenty-five years ago when two of the Augustana professors, Tom Brown and Steve Wille, began to travel with students to Cuenca. These experiences were the seeds that grew into CEDEI, an institution of education and bridge-building that has worked with students from around the world for decades. This interview with Dr. Araceli Masterson, Associate Professor of Spanish and Director of the…

Professor Sisa Pacari on Indigenous Communities and Traditional Medicine

March 2, 2018

Kristen Sawyer

CEDEI, Ecuador

Professor Sisa Pacari has been teaching at CEDEI for decades on and off. She is an integral part of the institution.Two of her standout classes are Quichua, the indigenous language of many Ecuadorians throughout the country, and a seminar on Traditional Medicine. During her language course, which has an Intro and Intermediate level, Profe Sisa uses only Spanish and Quichua to teach her pupils the intricacies of this language that has been used in this region before the Spanish arrived.…

A New Semester, A New Adventure

January 27, 2018

Kristen Sawyer

Ecuador, Study Abroad

Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is something that not all students can experience while they’re in university, which makes it all the more important to approach this opportunity with wide eyes, a curious mind, and a deep appreciation for the unknown. These tips are gathered from former students who have studied abroad. They are pieces of wisdom they wish they had heard when they started their study abroad experiences. 1: “Write down everything.” It is so easy for…

Little Things are Big Things: 5 Small Differences from the U.S. to Ecuador

January 16, 2018

Kristen Sawyer

Cuenca, Ecuador, Study Abroad

Going back and forth between countries, it is often overwhelming. When you arrive in a new place, you immediately notice many little things that will eventually, with time, disappear into the “new normal.” When you leave a country, you also notice many of the small differences that you took for granted. Here is a list of five small things that you may notice when you arrive in Cuenca, Ecuador, things that you may miss when you leave. 1. Lines are…

New Years in Ecuador: Effigies, Bonfires, and Fireworks

December 30, 2017

Kristen Sawyer

Cuenca, Ecuador, Holidays

Yellow underwear. 12 grapes. A suitcase. An effigy with a mask. Men dressed up as Chola Cuencanas (Cuencana grandmothers). These are only a handful of the rituals that make up New Year’s Eve in Ecuador. Around the country, the night before the New Year, Ecuadorians will be celebrating visibly. In fact, celebrations often happen before the actual holiday. In the weeks leading up to El Año Nuevo, the New Year, shops sell masks of all different sizes and expressions. The…

CEDEI Partners with Amazon Smile for Cyber Monday

November 27, 2017

Kristen Sawyer

CEDEI

Take advantage of this Cyber Monday! Purchase through smile.amazon.com/ch/86-0964602 and you’ll support the great work that CEDEI does in education, health, and bringing cultures together. Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service. You’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a…

Biology and Ecology Internships: Ecuagenera Orchid Farm Ecuador

November 26, 2017

Kristen Sawyer

Cuenca, Ecuador, Study Abroad

45 minutes outside of Cuenca, down the highway toward Gualaceo, there is an unassuming building on the left-hand side. The white building has large images of flowers–orchids–on the windows. It looks like it’s just a store, a place to go and buy flowers. But to take the spontaneous risk, to ask the bus driver to stop and descend the steps to go explore this place, is one of the best decisions you can make. Cuenca and its surrounding towns are…

Now and Then: The Cycle of Studying Abroad

November 23, 2017

Kristen Sawyer

CEDEI, Study Abroad

Two international programs students who are here for the Fall Semester in the Andes shared their thoughts two months ago, in their first week at CEDEI. We looped back now, as they’re approaching their final weeks here, to see what moments have stood out and what they’re grateful for about this experience. Out of all the countries to study abroad, why did you choose Ecuador and why did you choose the CEDEI program in Cuenca? Kayla: The program was approved…

Cuenca-Loving Program Coordinator: Janae Knipp

November 9, 2017

Kristen Sawyer

Cuenca

Cuenca is Calling! Nearly four years ago I walked through Cuenca for the first time and felt enchanted. The river! The mountains! The cobblestone streets! I was under the spell of its South American charm. As I started my teaching contract, my feelings didn’t change too much. Sure, there were the normal frustrations. On rainy days, I really wished I had my car. I missed almond butter and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. I got frustrated when the Cuencanos’ strolling pace…

Día de los Muertos

November 2, 2017

Kristen Sawyer

Cuenca, Ecuador

On the 2nd of November, the spirits come out to play. Seeking, crying, plotting, rejoicing spirits. They’re emboldened by the the time of year–Día de los Muertos. Day of the Dead. But in this conservative, significantly Catholic city, how many Cuencanos do believe in spirits? About 75% of Cuencanos consider themselves to be Catholic. And yet, even in a city so religious, Día de los Muertos, celebrated on November 2nd, feels like a small nook in time, as if something…