Last summer I was fortunate to have
the opportunity to study abroad in Ecuador through the Geology and Geophysics
department here at the University of Utah.
Thanks to the Office of Study Abroad, I was given a scholarship to help
pay for the class. The main focus of the
class was to learn how local mining, predominantly gold, is affecting the
quality of the environment, as well as the people living in these areas. The first week of the class was spent here on
campus where a number of professors with specialties in economics, public
health, geology and mining engineering gave lectures to provide us with
necessary background into Ecuadorian history and present day issues. It was interesting to hear from experts in
various fields as they integrated information about Ecuador and presented it in
a manner that created greater anticipation of the physical trip to Ecuador that
was approaching. The day before we left,
I remember running around frantically trying to pack my bags, as well as finish
gathering field supplies to collect samples to analyze back in the lab upon
return. I remember being really excited,
as this was my first time outside of North America. During the flight I tried to visualize what
Ecuador would be like based on the lectures during the week before and on
travel books that I had briefly read.
As
I stepped off the plane in Quito, Ecuador I remember being immediately immersed
in the new culture. What was most
noticeable at first was the language barrier, as I know little Spanish. Thankfully, I was traveling with some native
Ecuadorians, as well as a few students in the class who were fluent. As Quito is the capital city of Ecuador, life
is fairly similar to that in the United States.
It wasn’t until we traveled to more remote regions and villages that I
began to realize how far away from home we were. Ecuador is a very inviting place, with a lot
of diversity. It was really exciting
interacting with the local villagers and indigenous people and hearing their
perspectives of how they live and how local mining projects have influenced
their lives. Similarly, traveling to
mines and processing plants and talking to operators was also insightful and
added new angles. It was interesting to
see the range of operations, from those that can afford to be environmentally
conscious and others who cannot.
Dr.
Bill Johnson did a great job of organizing the study abroad trip, integrating
classwork, field work, lab work, and tourism.
I think it was a great opportunity for all of us to not only see a
beautiful part of the world, but to take a class that will hopefully provide
more knowledge of how mining has influenced the ecosystems and the people of
Ecuador.
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