Emily Neil

From EcuadorWiki

Background

This is my first year at Alma and when I heard about the trip to Quito I knew I had to go. I have a friend who lived there for a while so I've heard lots of stories. I am planning to major in both Political Science and Spanish. I have been to Mexico but my experience in other cultures is very limitied. I am going to Africa later this summer and I am excited about experiencing two continents in one summer. I look forward to more trips to South America in the future. I am interested in comparative politics. Relations between the the governments of U.S and Ecuador are very different, I'll see what I can learn while I am there.

I am a member of Alma's Model United Nations team, Symphony Orchestra, Pride, and Center for Responsible Leadership.

Expectations

• Become more comfortable speaking in a second language
• Exposure to new culture and maybe more exposure to Ecuador's politics
• Seeing a lot more of this beautiful world

Project

Relations Between the United States and Ecuador are not good. I would like to know more about the people of Ecuador and their take on the current president and his policies and also what they think of America and its government. President Bush last year lost an election, in Ecuador last year. Rafael Correa won the popular vote in 2006. Correa is a personal friend of Hugo Chávez and Evo Morales: he describes himself as a humanist and Christian of the left. His leftist ideas and policies put him at odds with the U.S. Correa’s condemnation of the World Monetary Fund and free trade with the U.S. has furthered the tension between our countries. When Ecuador switched currency to the U.S. dollar Correa fought against it. Recently President Bush has tried gain support in Latin America by touring some countries. Correa is a U.S. trained economist and stands along with presidents of Argentina, Venezuela, and Bolivia against free trade agreements that the Bush administration wants although Ecuador will continue other trade agreements with the U.S.

• 45% of Ecuador’s population lives below the poverty line while only 12% in the U.S.
• 61% of popular vote went to Bush (conservative) while in 2006 Correa received 56% of the vote
• GDP per capita of Ecuador is $4,776 while in the States it is $44,333
• Whites in Ecuador make up only 7% of the population with Mestizos comprising the largest ethnic group while Native Americans make up only a small population in the U.S.