First week done… time flies!
This first week was the perfect entry to what this semester holds for us and even though the weather hasn’t been in our favor Rio couldn’t be more beautiful.
We are 11 IES abroad Rio de Janiero kids spread all around the city. From Laranjeiras to Copacabana, Jardim Botanico and Humaitá: Chris, CJ, Jean Carlo, Nick, Brianna, Kaya, Holly, Josh, Rosemary, Dave and I are all pumped up and ready for the fall semester in this paradise.
The group spent this past weekend– our second full weekend here– in Montañita, a small town on the coast of Ecuador. We left Thursday night around 8:30 pm, and after four bus rides, finally made it to the coast at 10:30 am on Friday! The streets are surrounded by food and souvenir vendors, hostels, clubs and small stores. After choosing a hostel which claimed to have wifi, private bathrooms with hot water, lock boxes and fans, we settled in and went straight to lunch.
Last weekend, IES Abroad took us on an outing to an estancia! It was nice to escape the hustle and bustle of the city in favor of fresh air in the countryside.
Hello, my name is Ella Fornari. Junior, Occidental College. Human, Earth. This semester I will be traveling 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador to study evolutionary biology and ecology in the Galapagos islands. As a New York City native I look forward to the transition from concrete to Amazon jungle (for 1 week) and to the volcanic rock of the Galapagos.
My first week in Quito was filled with exploring the city, eating delicious meals, and constantly enjoying my stunning surroundings. I live with my home stay family on the 9th floor of an apartment building. All of the IES Abroad students are spread out around the city– some living closer to the IES Abroad building, and others (like myself) living closer to the university, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador.
