Reception Booklet
AIESEC in Ecuador
welcome to
ECUADOR -----------------------
contents
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map about ecuador climate main cities visa & insurance information getting to ecuador main cities distances between main cities cost of living national holidays ecuadorian slang worlds of ecuador contact
ecuador galapagos islands
map
esmertaldas
quito manta porto viejo
ambato riobamba
montanita
guayaquil
cuenca machala
loja
trainee experience
----------------------My experience in Ecuador met all the expectations I had once I started looking for an internship through AIESEC. First of all, I spent a year in a great country: Ecuador, a very interesting place due to all the places, people and cultural identity that it has. Second, I worked for an organization where I learned from and enjoyed lot the daily international environment, the diversity of my co-workers and the company itself. Third, I could travel around the country and see and learn about many beautiful places going from the volcanoes to the beautiful beaches.
No part of this amazing experience would have been possible without AIESEC. For this reason I want give many thanks for the people who have helped me to have a great experience; one that I will always appreciate and recommend. Thanks a lot AIESEC.
Priscila Ramos (Colombia) Internship at Pearson Ecuador 2012-2013
about ecuador
CAPITAL
LARGEST CITY OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
QUITO
GUAYAQUIL SPANISH
DEMONYM
ECUADORIAN
POPULATION
+15 MILLION
CURRENCY
USD $
TIME ZONE
GMT -5
CALLING CODE
+593
VOLTAGE
120V
about ecuador
----------------------A microcosm of sensations and flavors in the center of the planet: that is Ecuador. A unique country, where all the cultures, peoples and landscapes of Latin America merge to form the world's most perfect fragrance.
Ecuador is located on the Equator in the northwest of South America. Ecuador is the eighth largest country in South America, and the geography of its four regions is very diverse: Andes, Amazon, Pacific Coast and Galapagos.
Ecuador was the first nation in 2008 to declare that nature has constitutional rights.
about ecuador
----------------------The main spoken language in Ecuador is Spanish (94% of the population). Languages of official use in native communities include Quichua, Shuar, and 11 other languages. Ecuador has an area of 258,238 km2 (99,706 sq mi). Its capital city is Quito, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the 1970s for having the best preserved and least altered historic center in Latin America. The country's largest city is Guayaquil. The historic center of Cuenca, the third largest city in the country in size and economically, was also declared a World Heritage Site in 1999, for being an outstanding example of a planned inland Spanish style colonial city in the Americas. Ecuador is also home to a great variety of species, many of them endemic, like those of the Galรกpagos Islands. This species diversity makes Ecuador one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world.
climate
----------------------There is great variety in the climate, largely determined by altitude. It is mild year-round in the mountain valleys; humid subtropical climate in coastal areas and rainforest in lowlands. The Pacific coastal area has a tropical climate, with a severe rainy season. The climate in the Andean highlands is temperate and relatively dry; and the Amazon basin on the eastern side of the mountains shares the climate of other rain forest zones.
visa & insurance information
----------------------Visa Visitors can stay up to 90 days without a Visa. (Only citizens of the Popular Republic of China, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan and Somalia, require a visa to enter Ecuador).
AIESEC Internships in Ecuador longer than 90 days are needed to arrange a visa. For visa procedures please visit the “AIESEC in Ecuador Visa Procedures� wiki on MyAIESEC.net here.
Insurance AIESEC trainees must have their own international insurance during their stay on Ecuador.
getting to ecuador
----------------------Though not all countries have non-stop flights available, it is fairly simple to reach Ecuador from international destinations, and bus services are options between Ecuador and neighboring countries in South America.
Ecuador is a small country but offers to its travelers two main comfortable international airports in the main cities of the country: Quito - Mariscal Sucre Airport, and Guayaquil Simon BolĂvar Airport
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main cities
quito
----------------------Quito, formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital city of Ecuador, and at an elevation of 9,350 feet (2,800 meters above sea level), it is the highest capital city in the world housing the administrative, legislative and judicial functions. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains.
The Historic Center of Quito has one of the largest, leastaltered and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas. Quito, along with Kraków, were the first World Cultural Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO in 1978. The central square of Quito is located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of the equator; the city itself extends to within about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) of zero latitude. A monument and museum marking the general location of the equator is known locally as “la mitad del mundo” (the middle of the world).
guayaquil
----------------------Guayaquil, officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador, with around 2.35 million in the metropolitan area, as well as the nation's main port. The city is the capital of the Ecuadorian province of Guayas and the seat of the namesake canton.
Guayaquil is located on the western bank of the Guayas River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Guayaquil. The Malec贸n 2000, a notable place of Guayaquil, is a restoration project of the historic Sim贸n Bol铆var Pier. It will be a symbolic centre of the city, a mix of green areas and shopping. The tall ship Guayas has its home base here.
cuenca
----------------------Cuenca (full name Santa Ana de los cuatro rĂos de Cuenca) is the capital of the Azuay Province. It is located in the highlands of Ecuador at about 2500 m above sea level. The center of the city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site because of its many historical buildings.
The historic area of Cuenca is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, between the river Tomebamba and the street Gran Colombia to the north, General Torres to the west, and Hermano Miguel to the east. This area's compactness, grid-like layout, and numerous readily identifiable monuments make it easy to navigate. Outside this area the city can be confusing, as there are dozens of narrow colonial streets with similar buildings.
manta & portoviejo
----------------------Manta has existed since Pre-Columbian times. It was a trading post for the Mantas. Manta possesses the largest seaport in Ecuador. The most visited beaches include "El MurciĂŠlago", "Santa Marianita", "San Lorenzo" and "Barbasquillo". Surfers often travel to San Lorenzo to find powerful waves. Kitesurfing has recently become very popular in Santa Marianita (Playa Bonita) because of the excellent wind conditions and large beach.
Portoviejo, also known as the city of the "Royal Tamarind Trees" for the beautiful trees found in the area; is the main political and economical centre of the Portoviejo River valley. The valley is rich in the production of tomatoes, onions, peppers, bananas, mangoes and other tropical fruits. The city, which was affected by economic crisis in the eighties and nineties, is now recovering but severe budget limitations and a huge unemployment rate present difficulties for local authorities.
----------------------DISTANCES BY FLIGHT QUITO - GUAYAQUIL
55 MIN
QUITO - CUENCA
55 MIN
QUITO - MANTA
50 MIN
distances between main cities
DISTANCES BY BUS QUITO - GUAYAQUIL QUITO - CUENCA QUITO – PORTOVIEJO/ MANTA GUAYAQUIL - CUENCA GUAYAQUIL – MANTA/ PORTOVIEJO
8 HRS 10 HRS 10 HRS/ 10:30 HRS 3 HRS 4 HRS/ 4:30 HRS
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cost of living
----------------------FOOD daily menu in business district
3–4 USD
combo meal in fast food
4-6 USD
1 liter of milk
2 USD
12 eggs
2 USD
1kg of tomatoes
2 USD
1kg of apples
2 USD
2kg of potatoes
2 USD
1 can of beer (supermarket)
1–1.5 USD
----------------------HOUSING monthly rent in shared department utilities for one month (electricity, gas, etc.)
100–250 USD 50 – 80 USD
TRANSPORTATION public transportation bus/metrobus ride taxi trip on business day
0.25 USD 3-7 USD
PERSONAL CARE haircut toothpaste roll-on deodorant
5-8 USD 2.50 USD 3-4 USD
ENTERTAINMENT 2 tickets for the movies
8-12 USD
2 tickets for the theater
30- 40 USD
cocktail drink in downtown club
5-8 USD
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national holidays
----------------------January 1
New Year's Day
March / April
Maundy Thursday
March / April
Good Friday
May 1
International Workers' Day
May 24
The Battle of Pichincha
July 24
The Birthday of Simon Bolivar
August 10
Declaration of Independence of Quito
October 9
Independence of Guayaquil
November 2
All Souls' Day
November 3
Independence of Cuenca
December 6
Foundation of Quito
December 25
Christmas Day
December 31
New Year's Eve
ecuadorian slang
----------------------acolitar
to help
bacan
cool
biela
beer
chevere
good
chompa
jacket
chuta
exclamation of surprise
farra
party
ĂąaĂąo
brother
pana
friend
pelado (a)
pleno
boyfriend /girlfriend it’s O.K.
worlds of ecuador
----------------------A microcosm of sensations and flavors in the center of the planet: that is Ecuador. A unique country, where all the cultures, peoples and landscapes of Latin America merge to form the world's most perfect fragrance.
Four worlds converge on its territory, from the warm Pacific Coast that gradually rises towards the snowy heights and temperate valleys of the Andes mountains, eventually dropping down to the green Amazonian carpet of biodiversity. All as a prelude to a sublime reward: the Galapagos Islands.
galapagos islands
----------------------The Galapagos archipelago is made up of 14 islands and numerous islets lying 972 kilometers off the Ecuadorian mainland. The islands, their national park and the marine biological reserve comprise the only province totally surrounded by water.
Of volcanic origin, the Galapagos are home to unique species like iguanas, Galapagos tortoises, albatrosses, boobies and sea lions, to mention but a few. The singular mix of flora and fauna and the exceptional way in which many species evolved caught the attention of scientist Charles Darwin, who later used these observations to publish his works on the origin of species.
coastal region
----------------------Plains, rolling hills and expanses of land, sand and honey stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the foothills of the Andes – ploughed and tended by men and women from all over Ecuador – these are the first impressions enticing us fall in love with the Ecuadorian coastal region.
This region of the country is made up of seven provinces, from Esmeraldas in the north down to El Oro on the Peruvian border. Between these are Manabí, Santo Domingo, Los Ríos, Guayas and Santa Elena. Guayaquil — the country's most populated city and a bustling business magnet – is the commercial, cultural, political and demographic hub of the coast.
highland region
----------------------A temperate oasis of fertile farmland, valleys, paramo or moorland, and snow-capped peaks, the Sierra is the highest region of the country, with most of the land taken up by the Andean mountains. The altitude ranges from roughly 1,500 m. to 6,310 m. (at the summit of Chimborazo Volcano, the highest point in the country). Other year-round snowcapped peaks include Cayambe, Cotopaxi and the Ilinizas.
From Carchi down to Loja, the Sierra is composed of ten provinces. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, lies at the foot of Pichincha Volcano and is home to the one of the best preserved historic centres in the world.
amazon region
----------------------Descending towards the Amazon basin, the easternmost region of the country, we enter one of the most breathtaking biodiversity reserves on the planet. The AmazonĂa has tropical rain forest from the foothills of the Andes with their steep ridges, where streams and waterfalls wend their way down into the deep jungle, the humid lowlands teeming with life.
One of Ecuador's natural jewels lies in the Amazon region: YasunĂ National Park. Spanning almost 10,000 square kilometres, it is home to thousands of species of animals and plants, not to mention two uncontacted human groups living in voluntary isolation: the Tagaeri and the Taromenane.
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contact
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AIESEC in Ecuador mc.ecuador@aiesec.net
/aiesec.ecuador
@AIESECinEcuador
----------------------Reception Booklet
AIESEC in Ecuador