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Spring 2007
Spanish 198
2 Unit(s)

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Human friendly URL (OBSOLETE)
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community service /
field work course

About the Course:

Ecuador, a country the size of Arizona, sits on the equator between Peru and Colombia. It is the smallest Andean nation, but is packed with people and different scenery ranging from beaches, rugged mountains, volcanoes, and tropical rainforest. Ecuador is also home to the Galapagos Islands, the islands that helped form Charles Darwin’s ideas of evolution. Ecuador has a rich pre-Colombian history as well. Ecuador was part of the Incan empire and is still made up largely of indígenas and mestizos. Spanish is the official language, but Quechua is widely spoken, especially in the Andes.

Ecuador has many exports, including bananas, petroleum, cacao, coffee, flowers, and shrimp. Despite their rich farmland and oil fields, Ecuador’s economy is dependent on the price of its commodities in the foreign market. In 2003, the country had a foreign debt of $19 million, and more than 70% of Ecuadorians live in poverty.

This class is an overview of Ecuador. Guest speakers and readings, along with discussions, will help us prepare for our two week trip at the end of the semester. The trip will be coordinated and facilitated by the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD). For more information about FSD, please see fsdnternational.org.

How to Enroll:

Come to the first class meeting Wed Jan 24 at 6 pm in 106 Dwinelle to hear more and fill out applications. Email us if you have any questions.