A smile is a smile: My trip to Ecuador
School of Sustainability senior Tyler Gillespie says Ecuador was always a top destination on his list. Last summer, he got to cross it off as a student studying abroad with the Global Sustainability Studies Program. There, Gillespie studied culture diversity, visited historical sites and zip lined down a volcano. Now, he plans to join the Peace Corps after graduating.
Why did you choose to study sustainability in Ecuador?
Ecuador has always been a top destination for me because its location of where hemispheres collide. It also has a unique mix of ecosystems and environments that make for a compelling case study in biodiversity. Indigenous peoples, colonialism and neo-liberalism have all left their mark on the history of Ecuador and can all still be observed in the landscape and culture there today.