Ecuador is a small, tranquil Andean national that boasts some of the world’s most unique & spectacular landscape (including active and extinct volcanoes, mountains), colourful flora, endearing fauna and traditional Andean culture.

The rare beauty of Ecuador has attracted a number of important events in the recent past.

Our Language Center has branches in other cities as Baños, and Guayaquil so if you wish to study or to continue your studies among these cities you can do it.

For further information contact us. We are pleased to help.

This links take you to youtube:

Life at its Purest

For most people, this is the highlight of a visit to Ecuador. Get up close and personal with prehistoric creatures that include the world-famous Galapagos Giant Tortoise, endemic marine iguanas and the silly blue-footed boobies.

[Galapagos Islands travel guide]

Old, Colonial Quito

Take a step back into history while soaking in the Colonial architecture of this picturesque sector of Quito, with its ornate churches, plazas and cobblestone streets.

Equator Line

Visit the Equatorial line monument and take this unique opportunity to straddle the northern and southern hemisphere at the same time.

Cotopaxi National Park

Enjoy the flora, fauna and incredible landscapes of this National Park. For the adventurous, challenge yourself by climbing to the top to get some of the most spectacular views of the “Avenue of the Volcanoes”.

Cloudforest

Enjoy a light hike through pristine and lush Cloudforest that is home to busy hummingbirds and colourful orchids.

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Otavalo Market

Barter and haggle for unique Andean crafts (wallhangings, sweaters, wood carvings, gold & silver jewelry, ceramics etc) in this world-famous Andean artisan market.

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Saquisilí Market

Soak in the sights, sounds and flavours of this working Andean market, with its fruits, vegetable and animal markets.
Baños

Slip into one of the natural, hot thermal baths or spend the day mountain biking, horseback riding or white water rafting near Baños and its surrounding cascading waterfalls.
Devil’’s Nose Train

LOCATION: Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in America. It lies on both the northern and the southern Hemispheres, and is divided by the Equator, which gave Ecuador its name in the 19th Century. Ecuador borders Colombia (North), Peru (South and East), and the Pacific Ocean (West).

AREA: about 270.670 km2 or 168.186 square miles.

DISTANCE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH: 1.081 km or 672 miles.

POPULATION: approximately 13 million .

LANGUAGE: Spanish. Most of the indigenous population speaks Quichua. In many schools English is the second language taught as the second language. There are 18 different languages among Ecuadorian communities.

COAST REGION: Esmeraldas, Manabí, Los Rios, Guayas, Santa Elena, El Oro.

HIGHLAND REGION: Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Bolivar, Chimborazo, Cañar, Azuay and Loja.

JUNGLE REGION: Sucumbíos, Napo, Pastaza, Morona, Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe.

NOTE: The Santa Elena province – previously part of Guayas- and Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas province – previously part of Pichincha- have been recently approved as such. They do not appear in our maps of this edition as the official borders have not yet been published.

INSULAR REGION: The Galapagos Islands.

RELIGION: 95% Catholics

CURRENCY: Dollars. The government has produced a series of local coins of 1,5,10,25 and 50 cents that have the same value as the American coins (which are also accepted). Banks open from 9h00 to 17h00 and on Saturdays only half day. Money exchange offered every day in main hotels.

GOVERNMENT: Democratic. Current President is Rafael Correa (2007 – 2011).

CLIMATE: Ecuador is located in the Tropical Zone. The climate throughout the country ranges from tropical equatorial rain in the Amazon to perpetual snow on the top of the mountains. Cities in the highlands have temperatures that vary from 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while coastal cities’ temperatures vary from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. The wather in the jungle is constant: rainy, humid and warm. The Galapagos Islands are always sunny and warm, however, temperature drops a bit during the months of June to November.

WHAT TO WEAR:

• In Quito and highlands: wear spring attire during June, July and August. During the rest of the months, bring warmer clothing like those you would wear during the fall. A raincoat or jacket would be useful at night since it gets pretty chilly.
• Guayaquil and other coastal cities: wear summer clothing all year round. During the rainy months, December to May, the weather is still very warm. During the months of June to November the weather is cloudy and a little bit colder. Bring along a light jacket.
• Galapagos: wear comfortable walking shoes and casual clothing. Shorts, t-shirts and summer clothing will be just fine. Don’t forget a hat, a camera, sun block, and a bathing suit. During the months of June to November the weather is cloudy and a bit colder. Bring along a light jacket.
• Amazon or Jungle: wear clothing adequate for a rain. If you can get yourself a raincoat (poncho), take it with you, as well as several sets of light pants and long sleeve shirts. Shorts are less useful because of the insects and abundant vegetation you will walk through on your excursions. A hat, rubber boots and insect repellents are also a must. If you plan to take pictures, you will need high-speed film.

AIRPORT TAX: $26 for anyone leaving the country from Guayaquil, and $40.80 from Quito

Tourist Visa: Visitors can stay up to 90 days without a tourist visa.

Taxi rates: approximately $3 to $6 dollars per ride from the airport to the city. These rates vary among the main cities.

Transportation: Main cities (Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca) have local airports serviced by the local airlines Tame, Aerogal and Icaro, besides international airlines. Bus lines offer Land transportation where you can just jump on the next bus leaving to your destination. Each city has its own terminal, with frequent departure to each one of the different provinces of our country.

Office of Tourism Public Prosecutor: The highest duty of the Ecuadorian Republic is to respect and support human and personal rights; they offer judicial safety to tourists who visit the country. It is cost free. Hours of operation: Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am to 12:00pm and from 2:00pm to 6:00pm

Our main offices are located in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, the second highest capital in the world.

Few cities are blessed with a location that surpasses Quito’s setting: in the hollow of the passive Pichincha volcano.

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Full of colonial flavor, Quito was an Inca city refunded by the Spaniards in 1534. From the cobblestone streets in Quito Old Town, to the modern cosmopolitan new town, any traveler visiting Quito will get amazed by the city’s architectural contrast, enhanced by a charm weather and friendly atmosphere.

We also have branches offices in Guayaguil, Baños  and The Jungle (El Oriente), so you can enjoy of three very different and magical regions between them without leaving your studies. You enjoy the whole world in this friendly country.

• Constant movement in a colorful big city, that catches you by its febrile rhythm and its seductive nights. Warm, humid, attractive and cosmopolitan coastline. That is Guayaquil, the city spoiled by the Pacific Ocean and the Guayas river, a giant and dark torrent in which globetrotters ships and swaying canoes sail, that seem extracted of the time of myths and legends.

• Baños is located in the middle of a mountainous region. Baños is also known as the “Door to El Dorado” and offers a variety of attractions: you can relax in the thermal baths, visit the Basilica of the “Reina del Rosario de Agua Santa”, visit the different waterfalls, go up Tungurahua volcano, sample the melcoches (sweets made from sugar cane molasses), and admire the variety of crafts made from balsa and tagua wood.Baños, due to its central location in the country, its mild climate and its tourist attractions, is the ideal place to relax in a quiet atmosphere, as well as to go on excursions and trips to neighboring attractions.

  Among the main Thermal Baths we can mention the following:

  The Virgin’s Pools
  These are located in the eastern central part of Baños, below the Virgin’s Waterfall.

  Agua Santa.
  Its thermal waters are of volcanic origin.

  The “El Salado” pools
  These are somewhat out of the city center (15 minutes on foot, or you can take the city bus to “El Salado”). The thermal waters here are of volcanic origin.

  The Modernas Pools
  These are near the Virgin’s Pools, on Martinez Street. The waters are of volcanic origin.

  The Agua de la Vida (Water of Life) Pools
  There are several pools of warm water here.

  The Santa Clara Pools
  These are warm water pools that are at the end of Santa Clara Street. Most of the hotels have heated pools.

  Among the most impressive and popular waterfalls we can mention:

  The Virgin of the Holy Water Waterfall
  It is in full view in the city of Baños.

  The Ines Maria Waterfall (Pastaza River)
  This lies about 1 km from the center of town, across the San Martin Bridge and near the Zoo, on the way to Lligua.

  The Agoyan Waterfall
  This is an impressive waterfall 5 km from Baños (Pastaza River), but due to the use of the river water to generate hydro-electric power, it sometimes goes dry. It can be visited by urban bus.

  The Manto de la Novia (Bridal Veil) Waterfall
  This is 12 km from Baños, before getting to Rio Verde. There is an impressive bridge over the river. You can get there by bicycle or bus.

  The Rio Verde Waterfall, or Pailon del Diablo
  This is located 20 km from Baños. Here the Rio Verde forms an impressive waterfall among the rocks.

Ecuador is a land of contrasts you will never forget: four climate regions, two hemispheres, one small country. Picturesque beaches along the Pacific Coasts, majestic Andean highlands and snow-capped peaks, the mysterious and exotic Amazon jungle, and finally a group of enchanted islands (The Galapagos), all at the reach of your hand in a small country of friendly people who proudly say: “ECUADOR HAS MORE!”, more to give and more for you to discover.

They are supervisors. And with our special training for instructors in study technology they acquire the ability to transmit their knowledge and ensure the student had really learned. We offer all of these features surrounded by a warm and joyful environment.

Guayquil Staff

They will work in the development of the three skills; hearing, writing and oral, correcting the pronunciation and identifying which one you need to reinforce. Besides, the study won’t be only theoretic but mainly life applied, so your instructor will use different audiovisual resources that will provide increased help for you to learn.

To give an example, you will use the objects in the classroom or in the strolls to interesting places near our school.Our professionally-trained staff regularly attend workshops and seminars to ensure that their skills and teaching methods are constantly up-to-date.

Our knowledgeable team provides help with fair price to any place you may want to visit in Ecuador as Coast, Highlands, Jungle and the worlwide known Galapagos islands, point you in the right direction for restaurants, shopping and accommodation.

]]> http://southamerican.edu.ec/2009/02/27/our-staff/feed/ 0 http://southamerican.edu.ec/2009/02/27/our-students/ http://southamerican.edu.ec/2009/02/27/our-students/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:48:57 +0000 admin http://southamerican.edu.ec/?p=103 Meet students who have achieved a high level of Spanish in our school.