Yesterday, March 15, marked the beginning of the long-awaited IB service trip to Ecuador. MT history teacher Tammy Sweeney, along with three other faculty members, are taking 43 kids on this seven day excursion.

The original location of the trip was supposed to be Peru, but due to political protests in the country, the trip was moved to Ecuador. Although protests like these are not necessarily uncommon in Latin America, this particular movement continued for longer than usual. When transportation was shut down in January, “it was decided for safety as well as logistical reasons that we needed to find some other place to go,” Sweeney said.

Ecuador was chosen in lieu of Peru because environmentally it is still very similar to Peru with the Andes Mountains. The cultural groups students will be working with will remain the same, and they will be able to continue their scientific and service projects as the group would have done in Peru.

“When we were able to go so close to Peru but still have all those fun experiences it was definitely exciting,” junior Paige Fairchild said. 

This IB CAS trip has a heavy focus on service. “CAS is a component of the IB program that really emphasizes individual growth and reflection,” Sweeney said. The acronym stands for “creativity,” “action,” and “service,” which are all aspects the IB program values. 

Throughout the course of the trip in Ecuador, students will participate in multiple service projects, such as visiting the environmental center in Ecuador’s capital, Quito, and working on a reforestation project while in the Amazon rainforest. “I really wanted to get more involved…and [this trip] seemed like a good opportunity,” junior Kendyl Peters said.

Along with service projects, students going on the trip will also experience many adventures, including hiking, kayaking through a volcano, zip lining, and exploring Quito. 

As with all trips, there are safety concerns to be aware of, but because Ecuador is a third-world country and the group will be traveling through the Amazon rainforest, this is heightened. Students will have to avoid drinking tap water in Ecuador and some have also chosen to get certain vaccines, such as typhoid, yellow fever, and malaria. Despite these concerns, the students will be in good hands and are well-prepared to keep themselves out of harm’s way. “I feel pretty safe after getting the vaccines and learning more about the dangers we could be facing there,” said junior Emily Peipher.