LINKS LANGUAGE INSTITUTE is located in Guayaquil , in the Republic of Ecuador .

Ecuador is on the Pacific coast of South America . Since it is right on the equatorial line, part of it lies in the Southern Hemisphere, while the rest is on the Northern Hemisphere; as one would expect, there are many places where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere.

Ecuador , for three hundred years a Spanish colony, has been independent since the early 19th Century.  It is a peace-loving nation where even political upheavals are non-violent.

Guayaquil , a bustling tropical port of two million people, is Ecuador 's largest city.  Though founded by Spanish conquistadors more than four hundred years ago, the original bamboo village settlement was destroyed many times by fire and pirate invasions. Today, Guayaquil is a completely modern city of wide, tree-lined avenues on the west bank of the Guayas, the largest river in Western South America .

Though Ecuador is a small country, it offers a surprising variety of climates and landscapes. Tropical rain-forest and wind swept páramo plains are never far from each other. An incredible scenic drive from steaming jungle to volcanoes and snow-capped mountains that are among the world's highest will take but a few hours. Distances here are always surprisingly short.

Ecuador 's beaches, where water is never cold, are a fabulous attraction. Some have large waves and ideal surfing conditions; others are quiet and almost lake-like.

Several of Ecuador 's cities have been named World's Cultural Heritage by the United Nations. Visiting them is a unique and unforgettable experience.

The fabled Galapagos Islands, 600 miles from Guayaquil , are part of Ecuador 's territory. Their distance from the continent has brought about the development of animal and plant species that are found nowhere else in the world.