Stories from the Field

A very important part of Kichwa culture in Ecuador is the idea of Sumak Kawsay, which is Kichwa for live well, and equates life to the nature. During our stay in Cotacachi and Otavalo, I have realized that I need to work hard to decolonize and re-order the hierarchy in my mind to better serve the earth and communities around the world. Read More »

“Teach because that is going to make you a better learner. Learn because that is going to make you a better teacher,” Eric said. It takes creative practice to work in any field just as much as it does to simply live your everyday life. “Always have a creative practice no matter what you do,” were Marcus’s final words. Read More »

Each semester, one student from each HECUA program abroad takes on the role of student blogger, sending regular dispatches from the field. Giorgia Piantanida will be HECUA’s student blogger for the Northern Ireland program this spring semester. Giorgia is a junior at Swarthmore College, double-majoring in Peace and Conflict Studies and Environmental Studies. Read on for […] Read More »

We've begun the portion of our study abroad program that is in Wellington! Honestly being back in the city was a bit of a culture shock. We started out our voyage into the city around 10 pm, after a long day of traveling out of the bush. Read More »

Over the course of our program in Ecuador, there are three included field visits. The first one was to Yasuní National Park, which is part of the Amazon Rainforest, about twelve hours from Quito. The second, which we just had this past week, was to Manabí, a coastal region about six hours away from Quito. Read More »

One thing that has been repeated in and out of the classroom during my time in Derry/Londonderry is the power and importance of relationships. I see this at work at the Pat Finucane Centre. Read More »

My HECUA internship at the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation has helped me begin to loosen my restricted perception of who can and should organize, and where organizing is most effective. These experiences have exposed me to the endless opportunities where change can be implemented. Read More »

After talking to my professors and finding out that the classes would count towards both my Spanish and Sociology majors, I decided to go for it. After I did a quick google search on Ecuador and found out that it had mountains, rainforests, and beaches, I was sold. Read More »

I didn’t know how much I needed to be here until I was actually here. You don’t know you are living your best life until you live it. I wasn’t sure what to expect but this was much more than I ever imagined. Read More »

When people ask me what the Inequality in America program is, time and time again I fail to feel as though I have given a fulfilling answer. This is because we are learning so dang much. In February alone, we have learned everything from the benefits of asset-based mapping to the effect that poverty has on cortisol levels. Read More »