Flathead Valley Community College has scheduled two informational meetings today on its new cultural immersion program in Ecuador Jan. 3-15, 2012.

The meetings will be at noon and 5 p.m. in the college’s Multicultural Lounge in Room 226 inside the Arts and Technology Building on the FVCC campus.

Space in the program is limited. A deposit of $1,000 is required by Oct. 5 with the remaining balance due by Nov. 4. Students must be 18 or older to participate.

A pre-trip interview is required prior to payment. Contact Multicultural and Study Abroad Coordinator Mick Stemborski for an appointment at (406) 756-3945 or at [email protected].

For more information, visit www.fvcc.edu/ecuador. 

On this 12-day learning adventure, participants may earn up to six credits while exploring the diversity and culture of the Galapagos Islands, Amazon Basin and the capital city of Quito.

The cost to enroll in the program is $3,500.

Students must enroll in the “Issues in Wilderness Ecology” three-credit course and have the option to enroll in “Cultural Anthropology” for an additional three credits.

The cost to enroll in the program is $3,500 which includes round-trip airfare from Kalispell, accommodations, meals excluding five dinners, six-day Galapagos land-based tour, Galapagos flights, hot springs visit, Quito city tour, ground transportation, four-day Amazon eco-lodge tour, island transportation and guidance services by Stemborski.

Expenses not included are course tuition and fees, airport taxes, Galapagos luggage check, Galapagos National Park entrance fees, airport meals, Newark layover, snacks and beverages, gifts and souvenirs, bottled water and transportation to and from the Glacier Park International Airport.

Along with course work, activities in the Amazon Basin will include studying ecotourism at the Yachana Ecological Reserve, river canoe trips, jungle hikes, plant identification, animal and bird watching, visiting black lagoons and local communities. Students also participate in the Yachana Foundation effort to educate local communities on the importance of preserving the Ecuadorian Amazon region.

Galapagos Island adventures include boat exploration of rural rock formations and beaches, a volcano hike. Students will also visit the Charles Darwin Research Center and spend time on the San Cristobal and Santa Cruz Islands of the Galapagos Archipelago watching giant tortoises and marine iguanas, snorkeling, exploring and identifying marine life and discovering pristine beaches.