Embracing the Trent in Ecuador Program
Taking a year to study in a foreign country seemed the most likely course of action for Constance Dupuis, a third-year International Development Studies (IDS) major at Trent University. Ms. Dupuis has taken full advantage of the resources available to her at Trent and she has spent the last four months avidly embracing the culture of Quito, Ecuador.
“I was really drawn to the Trent in Ecuador program because of the unique opportunity to combine academic work with the practice of a focused internship,” said Ms. Dupuis.
While pursuing her academic studies at the Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar, Ms. Dupuis has been a gracious guest of various host families in the capital city of Quito. Halfway through her journey, she remains enthusiastic about the experience and has also enjoyed some fun activities like learning how to salsa dance and exploring the area by bicycle.
“I biked down the road that goes from Baños, in the Andes, down to Puyo, in the Amazon,” Ms. Dupuis recounts. “The road is called the Route of the Waterfalls. My most memorable experience so far was taking a hike down the canyon to swim in one of the waterfalls.”
Commenting on what she hopes to take away with her from her experience in Ecuador, Ms. Dupuis said, “I think what I will have gained most from this year is a broader set of perspectives to draw on. I am learning a lot about the ways in which my perspective is limited and working on always keeping an open mind.”
Posted on Thursday, January 5, 2012.