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Protesting police throw Ecuador into chaos – USATODAY.com
This headline immediately caught my attention. As a naïve 20 year-old college student, I spent a semester studying Spanish at a small, private university in Quito. I adored the country and traveled every opportunity I had.
There are not many places in the world where you can visit rain forest, arid plains, the Galápagos Islands, and the Pacific coast all in one semester. I went whitewater rafting as well. That semester offered enough adventure for a lifetime.
My host family was incredibly gracious, and quite frankly, I worry about their health and safety. Most of the Ecuadorians I met were generous people simply trying to get by. During my stay in 2001, my host mom (Adrianna) told me firsthand horror stories of the banking collapse in 1999. At the time, she worked as a bank manager. I can only hope that most Ecuadorians remain unaffected by the current political upheaval.
I love studying the history and culture of Latin America, but more often than not, it is a history of almost constant suffering.
Related Articles
- Ecuador armed forces seize Quito airport, highways (chron.com)
- US offers ‘full support’ for Ecuador’s president amid crisis (alternet.org)
- Airport Seized In Possible Ecuador Coup (businessinsider.com)
- Protesting police, soldiers seize Ecuador airport (dailycaller.com)
