Ecuador
CIE is excited to announce that we are going back to Ecuador during Spring Break 2026! We are partnering with the Tandana Foundation, a non- profit organization that helps to support community initiatives in the region of Otavalo Canton, in the Northern part of Ecuador, nestled in between the Imbabura and Cotacachi volcanoes. Our time and efforts will be focused upon fostering relationships with local indigenous people and assisting them with projects related to improving their health, education, water resource, food security, and environmental conservation systems. Students will be immersed in the Kichwa culture and traditions through cooking classes, visiting a local museum, working with young children at a school or community center, hiking to a nearby lake and learning about the local flora and fauna and engaging with elders in the community. There will be excursions to beautiful natural waterfalls, local markets, and time to connect with this very beautiful region. Tandana means "to gather together" or "to unite". This meaning is at the core of the work that is done there. We hope that you will build relationships with the local people and know that you came together to help learn, share and build towards something good.
Info Sessions:
Please join us to learn more about the program!
September 9th @ 12:10-1:00pm in GAC 127
September 19th @ 4:00-5:00pm in GAC 127
Program Details
Program Dates
This program will run during Spring Break from March 12 through March 21, 2026. Students will need to check with their professors that they are able to miss the classes immediately before Spring Break, but this has not posed any difficulty in the past.
Program Itinerary
The final itinerary for this program will not be shared with the group until a few weeks before departure because it all depends on the community projects that they are working on at that time. This would be a typical day for you.
- Breakfast with your host family
- Project time with local community members
- Lunch with the community
- Excursions to local sites of interest. Some possibilities may be to museums, hikes to lakes/pools, cooking classes, local markets, doing arts and crafts, farms all while learning local history and traditions.
- Dinner with your host family.
Accommodations
Students are placed with families in the village of Otavalo. The home-stay experience facilitates language learning and active participation in the culture and society of the local community members and their Kichwa heritage.
Program Costs & Funding
The program fee for 2026 will be announced towards the beginning of the Fall 2025 semester.
Funding Sources:
For SPARK eligible students, you will receive the $1,500 SPARK Grant from the Center for Life's Work.
For non-SPARK eligible students, you will be eligible for some funding from the Center for International Education.
Program Fee Includes:
- Round trip airfare
- All accommodations
- All activities, entry fees, tours, etc. listed in the itinerary
- All in-country transportation
- All meals (3 meals a day)
- Transportation to and from the Rochester airport
- International travel and medical insurance
Not Included:
- Passport (must be valid at least 6 months past the return date of the program).
- Miscellaneous expenses (such as souvenirs, personal care items, etc.)
Application & Payment Timeline
Applications will open towards the beginning of the Fall 2025 semester. All students will be required to complete an online application and then schedule a brief interview. Acceptance emails will be sent out shortly after the completion of all interviews. The payment timeline will be shared with students once they are accepted into the program.