Itinerario RLIE

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

The Research and Learning Initiative Ecuador invites university professors and
their students to put classroom learning into practice while visiting communities
in the Choco-Andino Biosphere, a UNESCO designation granted in 2018 to
protect a vital corridor linking the humid forest lowlands of the Choco-Darien
with the cloud forests of the Northern Ecuadorian Andes.
The Choco-Andino, a biodiversity hotspot and home to almost 100 species of
mammals, is under increasing threat from mineral extraction, agricultural
development, and population growth. Local business owners are actively
searching for sustainable solutions to these and other problems.
Students will visit several projects to include working farms, wildlife reserves,
and archeology sites only a couple of hours outside of Ecuador’s capital city,
Quito. Their goal will be to work with small business owners to complete a
project related to their course of study.
This seminar is ideal for students studying business, sustainable development,
tourism, or related subjects. However, students from other disciplines may
bring unique insights and are also encouraged to apply.
This itinerary can be personalized to focus on learning outcomes particular to
the field of study of the professor booking the trip.

Founded by Sun Mountain International, the Research and Learning Initiative
(RLI) began as a way to provide immersive cultural experiences with professional
growth to university students and mid-career professionals while
improving the standard of living in communities like Pacto, Gualea, and Nanegalito.
Today, the mission of RLI is to promote social and economic growth in an
ecologically sustainable manner through cultural and professional collaboration.
The Initiative’s goals include:
Research ways to improve the social welfare of vulnerable populations in a
way that promotes the responsible use of natural resources and protects and
restores native forests.
Promote, design, and execute economic development projects that improve the
lives of communities hard hit by climate change and further complicated by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Organize and implement educational opportunities via classes, seminars, and
workshops that help meet the above goals.
Today, the RLI is operated by InPacto Travel, a family run ecotourism business.
The project receives guidance from Scott Solberg, director of Sun Mountain
International and consultations from Angie and Scott Drake, co-founders of Not
Your Average American, LLC.

InPacto Travel is the culmination of a family dream that
began with Gloria Revelo and her small restaurant, La Cañita,
located in the rural parish of Pacto-Quito.
With years of effort, her dream became a reality and is now a
benchmark in tourism called InPacto Travel. The name
InPacto is a play on words, harnessing the power of the word
impact while recalling its location “in Pacto”, a magical place
that Gloria and her adult children, Veronica Guato and Nacho
Cifuentes, would like to introduce to the world.
Today, InPacto Travel promotes solidarity by working with
community associations and encouraging a focus on ecotourism.
More than a travel agency, this family-run business
creates products that encourage cooperation between neighbors
and forges connections with the global community.

SAMPLE ITINERARY
Pre-Trip
A successful trip begins before the journey starts. Students
will receive handbooks with information to help them plan for
their experience. It will include basics like a suggested pack
list, tips for polite behavior in both rural and urban Ecuador,
suggestions for traveling safely and securely, and an explanation
of the geography, climate, and regions of this smallest of
Andean nations.
As part of the pre-trip process, we will also send out a pre-trip
questionnaire. Some questions will be expected, like “Do you
have any food allergies?” However, we are also attempting to
measure the success of the RLI experiential learning seminars.
Therefore, we will ask some questions aimed to better understand
desired outcomes for students and professors.

DAY
1
QUITO
The seminar begins in Quito, Ecuador, laying the groundwork for understanding
the historical relationship between the capital city and its rural communities.
We will tour the UNESCO-recognized Historic Center to experience the most
emblematic places where Quito's history was born, such as its colorful neighborhoods
and colonial churches.

DAY
2
Mitad del Mundo
We will begin our morning with a visit to Casa Agave, a local museum working
to recover ancestral knowledge of the Agave Andino, a plant from the cactus
family that has been used since ancient times.
Later that day, we will straddle the Equator with a foot in each hemisphere at
the iconic "Mitad del Mundo", a striking monument marking the latitude
0°0’0 , the center of the world. From the top of the monument, visitors can
enjoy 360-degree views of the surrounding San Antonio valley.

DAY
3
The Chocó-Andino
We will begin our morning with a visit to Casa Agave, a local
museum working to recover ancestral knowledge of the Agave
Andino, a plant from the cactus family that has been used since
ancient times.
Later that day, we will straddle the Equator with a foot in each
hemisphere at the iconic "Mitad del Mundo", a striking monument
marking the latitude 0°0’0 , the center of the world. From
the top of the monument, visitors can enjoy 360-degree views of
the surrounding San Antonio valley.

DAY
4
PACTO
We will learn about PACTO-MAGICO (ASEROACTOMAG), an ecotourism
association that is made up of diverse micro-businesses,
including restaurants, hotels, nature reserves, and farms.
The association strives to make business improvements to
better protect the environment while also providing a living
wage for local residents.

DAY
5
Mitad del Mundo
We will begin our morning with a visit to Casa Agave, a local museum working
to recover ancestral knowledge of the Agave Andino, a plant from the cactus
family that has been used since ancient times.
Later that day, we will straddle the Equator with a foot in each hemisphere at
the iconic "Mitad del Mundo", a striking monument marking the latitude
0°0’0 , the center of the world. From the top of the monument, visitors can
enjoy 360-degree views of the surrounding San Antonio valley.

DAY
6
Mindo
At the Mariposario in Mindo, we will learn about the metamorphosis
of butterflies while also touring another successful ecotourism
business. The Mindo Reserve is also a great place to hike
or zipline in the primary cloud forest and tube on the Rio Nambillo.

DAY
7
QUITO
At the US Embassy in Quito, we will meet with the director of the
United States Department of Agriculture in Ecuador to better
understand international development in Latin America and
collaboration opportunities between Ecuador and the USA.
We will also meet the Director of the Peace Corps in Ecuador
and select professors from the University of the Americas.

DAY
8
OTAVALO
We will visit Taller Artesanal Peguche Wasi where
indigenous artisans will demonstrate their craft using
the Andean loom. A wide variety of handmade weavings
and artisan products will be available for purchase.
This visit supports an ancient cultural tradition
that is in danger of being lost as younger generations
look to other sources of income.

DAY
9
Zuleta
We will visit the rural community of Zuleta and learn about the tradition of
Pachamanka, a delicious dish of Andean cuisine. Its name comes from two
Quichua words: pacha (land) and manka (pot). The dish is prepared by digging
a hole in the ground, placing the food inside the hold, and then surrounding
the food with hot stones that help to cook the unique and tasty stew.

After returning to the United States, we would like to give students
the opportunity to give feedback on their experience and will send
them a post-trip survey. Both pre- and post-trip surveys will be
made available to the professor.
One of the goals of RLI is to foster and maintain relationships built
during these experiential learning seminars. Therefore, we will offer
students the opportunity to receive continuing information about
projects they may have helped develop while visiting Ecuador. We
will not add them to any mailing lists without their explicit permission.
Program Description
Cultural and professional collaborative experience working with
local small businesses and visiting cultural sights. A component of
an existing course for academic credit that expands and elaborates
course material and concepts through hands-on application.

Program Objectives
This program explores course topics and combines
them with development applications. The program
is designed to broaden students’ understanding of
worldwide issues, including:
Environmental concerns
Small business development
Cultural diversity
Community engagement
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Learning objectives and outcomes are evaluated in accordance with existing
course requirements and deliverables. At the end of the program, students
will be able to:
1.- Apply course topics to situations outside the classroom setting
a.- Gain practical experience in classroom topics
b.- Experience working in the international development sector
2.- Understand the importance of and apply cross-cultural communication
a.-Gain appreciation for cultural diversity
b.-Recognize and value cultural customs and traditions
c.-Develop greater Spanish proficiency
d.-Develop collaborative, international relationships
3.- Identify ecologically-sustainable methods of conducting business in
tourism and agriculture
a.-Identify ethical business practices for remote regions
b.-Demonstrate knowledge of environmentally conservative agriculture
practices
c.-Collaborate with host country professionals and businesses
d.-Find creative and innovative solutions to community needs
f.-Critically evaluate local issues within a global context
j-Demonstrate the ability to work in diverse teams
h.-Demonstrate curiosity while engaging with the local community
i.- Understand sustainability and how local and global actions and communities
affect international environmental concerns
j.- Appreciate the biodiversity of Ecuador

www.inpactotravel.com
inpactotravel
inpactotravelecuador
(+593) 98 499 0838