Global Health Experiential Education in Ecuador

Why did you decide to intern abroad with CFHI?

Jessica: At the time I began researching CFHI’s programs, I had worked 5 years at a Reproductive Health clinic in Eureka, CA. I possessed a strong foundation and passion for women’s health so I chose the Reproductive Health program in Quito because I wanted to expand my knowledge of health care practices in South America & broaden my understanding of cultural attitudes towards sexual health in this country as well.

I also wanted to learn Spanish immersion style so the classes included as part of the program fee made it more attractive. My career goal at the time was to become an ultrasound technologist; although CFHI didn’t have a specific program for Diagnostic Imaging, I felt certain that the clinical rotations would put me in close proximity with the imaging department and hoped that if I established a rapport with my medical site coordinator I may be able to shadow a tech in the Radiology departments.

Overall I knew that I would take away an immense amount of knowledge from this immersion experience that could not be learned in a classroom setting in the states, so I went and I got so much more than expected.

Do you feel you got a chance to see the city from a local's perspective?

Jessica: Yes. I befriended a few native Quitenos who were my age and once my language skills improved I was able to communicate more effectively with my newfound friends. We had common tastes in music and art, so they invited me to events that they planned to attend.

Whether it was a concert in Parque Itchimbia, or an open mic night in a quaint club in Guapulo, or a lovely dinner at a favorite hole in the wall restaurant, I went along with them because I was genuinely interested in knowing them better and experiencing life through their eyes. Honestly it spared me the work of having to discover the good local spots on my own and taught me not to fear straying outside of what Lonely Planet advises people to do when they’re traveling.

Doing this also encouraged me to be independent and try new foods and places on my own, which is how I developed a palate for “mote” which was a mix of hominy, potatoes, onion, avocado and meat served for $1.25 at a stand on the street I lived on.

Do you think your program changed you as a person?

Jessica: Absolutely. I grew leaps and bounds over the 8 weeks I was part of the program. I arrived feeling overwhelmed by a huge, bustling metropolis and slightly intimidated at my clinic sites, but it was only because I was pushed completely out of my comfort zone and didn’t have a fluent handle on the language. I began the program with basic conversational Spanish skills.

With each passing day I learned a huge amount in the classroom and clinic, and when I applied the new skills/knowledge I saw the results. I was more capable of communicating which helped me to better understand situations in the clinic, conversation between patient and practitioner, and I helped me to network within my clinic rotations. For example, if I wanted to spend more time in one aspect of the department the medical coordinator would send me to that ward and assign me a new preceptor.

Eventually I was able to advocate for myself and ask if I could spend time in the Radiology department; this worked out and I shadowed Radiologists and technologists for a couple days per week at each clinic site, in addition to working in the reproductive health ward. After the 8 weeks I went on to do another month of traveling on my own, to further explore Ecuador, and the life skills I gained from my CFHI experience enabled me to navigate around the country with confidence.

Tell us about an experience you had that you could not have had at home.

Jessica: There are countless experiences I could not have had at home, both in and out of Quito. One that sticks out is my trip with 3 other CFHI students to the Cuyabeno Jungle (part of the Amazon in eastern Ecuador). We took a 4 day trip to a village deep in the the Cuyabeno jungle, set back from the river by a few hundred feet.

We traveled by bus to the Cuyabeno river, then rode in a motor boat upstream for a couple of hours to the village. Our guide took us on several amazing trips to visit natives, among whom were medicine men and shamans. While there I received a shaman cleansing/treatment, I fished for Piranhas (and caught one which we ate for dinner), grated Yuca root to make tortillas, blew darts out of a blow gun, played with a monkey and a baby alligator, and went ziplining through the trees.

There were so many fun adventures we were able to go on over the weekends or time off from clinic & school; the nearby towns are only a few hours away so very accessible by bus and very affordable.

What is your favorite travel memory?

Exploring Mysuru, India after dark with CFHI's director of programs in India. The palaces and temples were lit up and stunningly beautiful, and the experience was particularly special because my travel companion knew her way around and helped me gain an "insider's view"!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

CFHI is a leader in ethical global health engagement and programming, so I've learned and grown just by reading our publications and interacting with our team. Before working at CFHI I may have believed, as I think many do (with the best intentions) that "a little help is better than none at all" when it comes to global medical care.

Now I have a much more nuanced understanding of the many serious considerations involved when doing health work oversees. I'm proud and honored to be working for an organization that is helping to shape this critically important, potentially lifesaving, discussion.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I don't think I could pick! All of our programs are unique and outstanding in their own way. I have the great pleasure of working closely with our international partners as they facilitate programs, so I have a window in to how dedicated and passionate they are about their work.

There is something for every geographical interest, educational or professional level, or focus area/topic.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Aside from CFHI's focus on ethical, fair-trade engagement with our partners, I think what makes us unique is that we are really "hands-on" about working with participants in the pre-departure stages of their trip to ensure that their questions are answered and they feel comfortable with their program.