SALANGO, ECUADOR

Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Programs in Ecuador

Program Description

Program Dates and Deadlines:
Term	Year	Application Deadline (or as space permits)	Start Date/Check-in	End Date/Check-out
Summer	2024	April 13, 2024	June 22, 2024	August 4, 2024

 

 

In-country FAU Faculty Leader: Dr. Michael Harris and Instructor Valentina Martinez	Education Abroad Contact: Brendan Richardson
Anthropology Department, College of Arts and Letters	Associate Director, FAU Education Abroad
Dr. Harris Email: mharris@fau.edu	Phone number: 561-297-3227
Instructor Martinez Email: vmartine@fau.edu	Email: brichardson@fau.edu

 

Travel Documentation

*Important notice* Passport processing times have changed. Review up-to-date details HERE.

Routine processing times can take 10-13 weeks, and expedited applications in 7-9 weeks. Processing times begin when your application is received by a passport agency or center, and do not include mailing times. It may take up to 2 weeks for your application to be received by passport agency, and up to 2 weeks for you to receive your completed passport after agency mails it to you. Therefore, you should add an additional 4 weeks to you passport application processing time. 

A valid passport is required for all international travel. If you are traveling anywhere abroad, you need a passport to board an international flight and to enter the country. Passport cards will not be accepted as form of I.D. You may be denied boarding if you travel with a passport that appears damaged or altered.

Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met. Check the Country Information to learn about entry and exit requirements for the country or countries in which you are traveling.  

If you are applying for a passport for the first time, you need to renew your passport, or you have any other passport questions, you can find information on the Travel.State.Gov website. In addition, several U.S. Embassies and Consulates provide information to assist applicants in collecting the documentation needed. For a list of Embassies, please visit U.S. Embassy.gov.

Location

Salango is a small fishing village located in its own cove on the central Pacific coast of Ecuador. It's a good representation of what the nearby town of Puerto Lopez was like before the influx of tourism. The community seeks to consolidate its development process by promoting ecotourism. Amongst the natural attractions is the island of Salango, home to beautiful species of seabirds such as blue-footed boobies, frigates, and pelicans among others. Nearby is a marine sanctuary, a site with schools of tropical fish and coral reefs, ideal for diving. Humpback whales ply the coast during the field school period.

Housing

Students live in a research center located in the village of Salango. The village has a few small stores and restaurants, a church, and bars. The research center is a walled compound located on the beach. Students are housed in the Center's cabanas.

Adjacent to the beach and twenty minutes from the Field School’s primary excavation site, the Center is a walled, secure compound. The Salango Research Center is an excellent site for lodging students, as well as processing and curating archaeological materials. The Center has wifi facilities, adjacent archaeological and historical museums, modern kitchen, showers, and toilets. Breakfast and dinner are prepared at the Center by project cooks. Lunches are simple, as appropriate for being in the field.  

 

Program Cost and Funding

Program Cost

$3,948.00 + tuition for the required program summer course(s). FAU in-state or out-of-state rates apply. 

Program fee payment deadlines: 
1ST PAYMENT:       $2,000.00 deposit due by April 27, 2024 
2ND PAYMENT:      $1,948.00 due by May 18, 2024 

Accepted participants will receive detailed payment instructions from the Education Abroad team via email prior to deadlines. Program fee payments cannot be deferred. Plan accordingly. 

Program Fee Includes:

• Accommodations from check-in through check-out date
• Round trip group bus transportation from Guayaquil airport to program site 
• Research supplies
• All meals at the Center and in the field
• International Medical Insurance
• Some excursisons

Program Fee Does Not Include :

• $200 administrative fee paid at time of application submission
• International Flight
• Tuition for courses/credits taken on program (FAU in-state and out-of-state rates apply)
• Meals off-site
• Personal spending money

Health, Safety and Travel Documentation

All students must attend pre-departure sessions prior to study abroad. Education Abroad and your program faculty leaders will provide you with further details pertaining to dates, times, and location in the semester before your program. 

1) Mandatory pre-departure orientation hosted by the Education Abroad office. This session will cover general international travel related topics such as health, safety, insurance, and travel tips. 
2) Mandatory pre-departure meeting hosted by program faculty leader. This session will cover program and location specific information such as arrival, expectations, itinerary, and course overview. 

International health and travel insurance

All FAU students participating on an FAU Faculty-led Program will be registered in international health and travel insurance coverage through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). This mandatory insurance ensures that students have access to medical and emergency support services while abroad. This is included in the program cost.

Resources

• U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory – Country Information: Travel Advisories (state.gov)
• CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html
• FAU SHS: FAU - Health Advisory
• WHO: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-vaccines-safety
• Access to vaccine: FAU - COVID-19 Vaccine Information
• Benefits of being fully vaccinated prior to departure for your study abroad program:

1. Reduced risk of denied entry if a country requires vaccination for entry
2. Reduced risk of having to get vaccinated abroad if it becomes mandatory in the country of study
3. Reduced risk of denied acceptance to one of our foreign universities
4. Reduced risk of denied acceptance into campus housing or host accommodations abroad
5. Reduced risk of spreading COVID-19 and its variants to other parts of the world, including the communities where we have programs
6. Reduced risk of contracting COVID-19 while abroad, which could lead to missed classes and excursions, mandatory quarantine or isolation, and other disruptions to the program
7. Increases student access to local events, services, and travel while abroad
8. Provides more flexibility in planning study abroad extracurricular activities, including excursions
9. The WHO and U.S. CDC agree that the vaccine helps reduce the risk of serious illness and helps prevent the spread of COVID-19
10. Alongside our other prevention measures, the vaccine significantly increases protection for FAU faculty, staff, students, and international partners

Regarding increased access because of being vaccinated, please be aware that businesses and services may legally restrict access to exclude unvaccinated individuals. Local ordinances may allow the same. In such cases, FAU won’t be able to intervene or advocate on your behalf.